The stronghold is underground, marked by a frame of dark blocks, and you reach it by following eyes of ender

A stronghold is a structure buried deep underground in Minecraft that contains the End portal — the gateway to the final boss fight. To find one, you craft or find eyes of ender, throw them into the air, and follow where they fly. Each eye travels toward the nearest stronghold, then disappears. You throw another and follow again, repeating until the eyes start going down into the ground. That's where the stronghold entrance is.

Strongholds only generate in the Overworld (the main world, not the Nether or End). There are between 128 and 256 of them per world, depending on your game version, but they're spread far apart — often thousands of blocks away from your spawn point. The journey to find one is intentionally long, which is why the eye of ender method exists: it saves you from wandering randomly.

Key Takeaways

  • Eyes of ender are crafted from blaze powder and ender pearls, or found in the inventory of killed endermen.
  • Throw an eye of ender and it will fly toward the nearest stronghold; follow it on foot or by flying in Creative mode.
  • Each eye disappears after a short flight, so you craft or find multiple eyes and repeat the process.
  • When eyes start flying downward instead of forward, dig down carefully to find the stronghold entrance.
  • Strongholds contain the End portal frame, which requires 12 eyes of ender to set up and open the gateway to fight the Ender Dragon.

How to craft an eye of ender

An eye of ender is made from two items: blaze powder and an ender pearl. Blaze powder comes from blaze rods, which drop when you kill blazes in the Nether. Ender pearls drop when you kill endermen in the Overworld (they spawn at night or in dark places like caves). You need at least one of each to craft a single eye.

Open your crafting menu and place blaze powder in the top-left square and an ender pearl directly below it. This produces one eye of ender. You'll want to craft at least 12 eyes before you start your journey — some will be used to find the stronghold, and you'll need 12 more to set up the End portal once you reach it. If you're playing on a server or in a world where others have already killed blazes, you might find blaze powder in chests or trade for it with other players.

If you don't want to travel to the Nether, you can also find eyes of ender in the inventory of endermen you kill, though this is slower and less reliable than crafting them.

Following eyes of ender to the stronghold

Once you have at least one eye of ender, hold it in your hand and right-click (or use your throw button). The eye will fly upward and then move horizontally toward the nearest stronghold. It travels in a straight line at a steady speed, staying visible for about 20 to 30 seconds before disappearing. Follow it on foot, by horse, or by flying if you're in Creative mode. Mark your path with torches or blocks so you don't get lost on the way back.

When the eye disappears, craft or find another one and throw it again. It will fly in roughly the same direction, moving you closer to the stronghold. After throwing 5 to 10 eyes, you'll notice them starting to fly downward as well as forward — this means you're close. The stronghold is directly below where the eyes are heading.

Eyes of ender can fly over water, lava, and cliffs, so don't assume you can reach them by the exact path they take. Instead, watch the direction they're heading and move toward that general area, then throw the next eye to get a more precise bearing.

Digging down safely to reach the stronghold

When eyes start flying downward, stop throwing them and begin digging. Dig straight down is dangerous because you might fall into lava or a cave. Instead, dig a staircase downward at a 45-degree angle, or dig down one block at a time while standing on the block above. This gives you time to see what's below before you fall into it.

Watch for lava pools and cave systems as you descend. Strongholds generate between Y-level 0 and Y-level 64 (in newer versions, check your world settings to confirm the range). Once you reach the right depth, start digging horizontally in the direction the last eye was heading. You'll eventually hit dark stone or stone brick blocks — these are the outer walls of the stronghold.

Strongholds are large structures with multiple rooms and corridors. Once you break through the outer wall, explore carefully. The End portal room is usually in the center, but you may need to navigate through libraries, storage rooms, and stairwells to reach it. Bring a sword and armor because silverfish spawn inside strongholds and can swarm you if you break certain blocks.

What to expect inside the stronghold

Strongholds are made of stone brick, dark oak wood, and iron bars. You'll find bookshelves, chests containing useful items like diamonds and enchanted books, and silverfish spawners — blocks that release silverfish when broken. Avoid breaking these blocks if you can, or break them from a distance with a ranged weapon.

The End portal room contains a frame made of 12 end portal frame blocks arranged in a square. Each frame block has a small indent on top. To open the portal, you place an eye of ender in each of the 12 frame blocks. Once all 12 eyes are placed, the portal activates and a dark gateway appears in the center — this is your entrance to the End dimension and the Ender Dragon fight.

What to bring before you go

Pack a full set of armor (iron or better), a sword, a pickaxe, and a shovel. Bring food to restore health, and at least 20 blocks of dirt or wood so you can build your way out if you get trapped. A water bucket is useful for breaking falls and protecting yourself from lava. Bring a shield if you have one — it blocks damage and is especially useful against silverfish.

You'll also need 12 eyes of ender to open the portal, so craft or gather these before you leave your base. If you die on the way, your items will drop where you fell, so consider leaving some supplies in a chest near the stronghold entrance so you can recover if something goes wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find a stronghold without eyes of ender?

Technically yes, but it's extremely difficult. Strongholds are rare and spread far apart. Some players dig down to the right Y-level and tunnel horizontally for thousands of blocks hoping to find one, but this takes much longer than using eyes of ender. Eyes of ender are the intended method.

What if an eye of ender falls in lava or water?

It disappears and is lost. This is why it's important to follow eyes carefully and not throw them over large bodies of water or lava. If you lose an eye, craft another one and continue from where you are.

Do I need exactly 12 eyes of ender to open the portal?

Yes. The End portal frame has 12 slots, and each one requires an eye of ender to fill. If you place 11 eyes and run out, the portal won't open. You need exactly 12, so craft extras in case some are lost or destroyed.

Can strongholds be in the Nether or the End?

No. Strongholds only generate in the Overworld. Eyes of ender will never lead you to the Nether or End dimension. If you're in either of those places, you need to return to the Overworld first.

What happens if I die inside the stronghold?

Your items drop where you died and stay there for five minutes. If you can get back to that spot before the timer runs out, you can pick them up again. If you die before retrieving them, they're gone permanently, so bring backup supplies or play carefully.