The Chozo Ruins of Tallon IV are all that remain of the civilization that inhabited the planet before the coming of Phazon, Metroids and Space Pirates. Once a large and flourishing city, it is now hardly more than a wreckage of stone overrun by Beetles and War Wasps. To better understand the world around them, the Chozo built their cities almost entirely out of natural substances, like wood and stone.
Even though it is the only area in the game without Space Pirates (with the exception of the Impact Crater), exploring the Chozo Ruins is still dangerous. All the water in the area is toxic because of a monstrous mutant plant called Flaahgra, and Chozo Ghosts, vengeful spirits driven insane by Phazon, will ambush anyone who trespasses on their holy grounds. Because of this and the scarce amount of usable resources in the area, the Space Pirates have made the area off-limits to any personnel. The Chozo Ruins can be accessed by elevators from Tallon Overworld and the Magmoor Caverns.