An organic electroluminescent element has a substrate, a first electrode formed above the substrate, an emissive layer, and a second electrode formed above the emissive layer. In the first electrode, at least a surface opposite to the other surface facing the substrate has a multidimensionally meandering surface shape. The emissive layer includes an organic electroluminescent material and is formed along the multidimensionally-meandering-shaped surface of the first electrode. In the emissive layer, a surface facing the first electrode and the other surface opposite to the first-electrode-facing surface each have a multidimensionally meandering surface shape. The organic electroluminescent element of the present invention is used in an electroluminescent (EL) type display device as a pixel that is controlled individually for light emission. Also, the organic electroluminescent element of the present invention is used as a light source of an electroluminescent (EL) type lighting system. As a result, an organic electroluminescent element with high luminance and an organic electroluminescent element with a long lifetime are provided, and an EL display device and an EL lighting system using such elements are provided.