Mondstadt

Mondstadt () is a fictional nation in the video game Genshin Impact, developed by miHoYo. It was released in version 1.0 of the game on September 28, 2020. It is located in the northeast of the continent of Teyvat and is the first country visited by the game's protagonist, the Traveler. Mondstadt is primarily based on medieval Germany, Switzerland and other Central European countries. It has generally received praise for its fantasy setting. == Creation == left|thumb|The Matterhorn in the Alps served as the model for Dragonspine in Genshin Impact. The inspiration behind Mondstadt is unconfirmed and has been cause for speculation. Terry Bass of The AXO pointed out that Mondstadt's design draws on German and Swiss cultural influences, in particular the city of Bern. He suggested that Mondstadt's cathedral was modeled after Regensburg Cathedral in Germany. Jessica Orr of Eurogamer wrote in passing that Mondstadt was also based off of the Netherlands, while Sid Natividad of TheGamer and Samantha Low of Tokyo Weekender also wrote that it was based off of Germany.

In a behind-the-scenes video, the production team revealed that the snowy, mountainous region of Dragonspine, which is in the south of Mondstadt, was inspired by the Matterhorn in the Alps. They noted that the overall saturation of the snow-covered region is lowered, creating a cooler light source. The story of Dragonspine is presented from the perspectives of an ancient kingdom, modern non-player characters, and the player. The team also shared that the creation of Dragonspine's snow was inspired by the gradient seen in clouds. thumb|The city of Bern may have inspired Mondstadt. === Music ===