How to find a Nether fortress
Enter your seed and edition
Type
/seedin Java, or copy the seed from the world settings in Bedrock. Fortresses are placed differently in each edition.Enter where your portal is
Use your Nether coordinates, or switch to Overworld coordinates and the finder divides them by 8 for you.
Pick the closest fortress
The list shows each fortress's Nether coordinates, its distance, and the Overworld spot that lines up with it.
Travel there
Walk there in the Nether, or build a new Overworld portal at the matching Overworld coordinates so it links right next to the fortress.
Where do Nether fortresses spawn?
In Java, Nether fortresses can generate in any Nether biome, at any distance from your portal. They are not placed near anything in particular, which is why searching blind takes so long. Large parts are often buried in netherrack or stretch over lava lakes, so a fortress can be close and still out of sight. The map on this page is a Nether seed map: it shows every fortress and bastion for your seed, not just the nearest.
Finding one without the map
- Use the locate command if cheats are on:
/locate structure minecraft:fortressin Java or/locate structure fortressin Bedrock prints the nearest fortress's coordinates. - Travel in a straight line. Fortresses are spread across the whole Nether, so a long, straight tunnel or bridge crosses more ground than wandering.
- Look for dark red Nether brick across lava oceans from high ground; the bridges are easy to spot from a distance.
Fortresses and bastions
In Java, the Nether is split into a grid of regions about 432 blocks across, and each region holds either a fortress or a bastion remnant, so you are never far from one or the other. Bedrock uses its own spacing. Both are shown on the map:
- Nether fortress: blaze spawners for blaze rods (brewing stands and Eyes of Ender), Nether wart for potions, and wither skeletons for the Wither.
- Bastion remnant: piglin castles with chests of gold, ancient debris and netherite upgrade templates. Bring armor: piglin brutes hit hard.
Linking a portal to the fortress
Nether distances are one eighth of the Overworld's. Multiply the fortress's Nether X and Z by 8 and build a portal there in the Overworld; when you go through, the game makes a matching portal close to the fortress. The Nether portal calculator converts coordinates both ways and checks which portals will link.
More world tools
- Seed map: every biome and structure in all three dimensions.
- Biome finder: Warped Forests, Soul Sand Valleys and every Overworld biome.
- Slime chunk finder: for slime farms.
- Best Minecraft seeds: checked seeds with useful structures near spawn.
Nether fortress questions
How do I find a Nether fortress?
Enter your seed and the finder lists the nearest fortresses to your position, with Nether coordinates and the matching Overworld spot to build a portal at. In-game, players with cheats can run /locate structure minecraft:fortress in Java or /locate structure fortress in Bedrock.
Which way is the nearest Nether fortress?
There is no fixed direction: fortresses are spread across the Nether on a grid. In Java they are usually a few hundred blocks apart, so one is rarely far from your portal. Use the list to see the distance and direction from where you are.
How do I get to a fortress through a portal?
Take the fortress's Nether X and Z, multiply them by 8 and build an Overworld portal there. It will link to a new portal close to the fortress. The finder shows those Overworld coordinates, and the Nether portal calculator explains the linking rules.
What is the difference between a fortress and a bastion?
Fortresses are long Nether brick bridges with blaze spawners and Nether wart, which you need for brewing and the End. Bastion remnants are blackstone castles full of piglins and loot, including gold and netherite scraps. The map shows both.
Why can I not find a fortress at the coordinates?
Fortresses are huge, so the coordinates mark where generation starts and the bridges spread out from there. Fortresses also run underground and through lava lakes, so look around and below. Check that the edition and version match your world.