From the Timeless Halls to the Cracks of Doom: every realm, city, stronghold and wild place of the legendarium.
Showing 25 to 48 of 215 places
Andúnië was the chief haven of western Númenor, looking toward the sunset and the Undying Lands. It was the seat of the Lords of Andúnië, kinsmen of the kings and leaders of the Faithful, whose line ended in Amandil and passed through Elendil to the kings of Middle-earth.
Angmar was the realm founded by the Witch-king at the northern end of the Misty Mountains around T.A. 1300 for the purpose of destroying the Dúnedain of the North. Over six and a half centuries it wore down and swallowed Rhudaur, Cardolan and finally Arthedain, before its army was annihilated at the Battle of Fornost in 1975.
Armenelos was the royal city of Númenor, standing in the Kingsland east of the Meneltarma. It was the seat of the line of Elros for three thousand years, the home of the White Tree Nimloth, and at the last the site of Sauron's temple to Melkor.
Arnor was the North-kingdom of the Dúnedain, founded by Elendil in Eriador after the Downfall of Númenor. Divided into three after T.A. 861 and destroyed by Angmar in 1974, it survived in the line of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain and their Rangers until Aragorn restored it as part of the Reunited Kingdom.
Bag End is the luxurious hobbit-hole dug into the top of the Hill at Hobbiton. Home in turn to Bilbo, Frodo and Samwise, it was the starting point of both the Quest of Erebor and the Quest of the Ring, and the place where Saruman met his end.
Brethil was the forest between the rivers Teiglin and Sirion, west of Doriath, where the people of Haleth lived by leave of Thingol. It was the scene of the last acts of Túrin's tragedy: the slaying of Glaurung, the death of Nienor and Túrin's own end at Cabed-en-Aras.
Caradhras, the Redhorn, is the northernmost and most feared of the three Mountains of Moria. Its red-flanked, snow-crowned peak stood above the Redhorn Pass, the only crossing of the Misty Mountains between the High Pass and the Gap of Rohan, and the only place in Middle-earth where mithril was found.
Cirith Ungol was the secret pass over the Mountains of Shadow above Minas Morgul, guarded by an old Gondorian tower turned to Sauron's use and by the lair of the great spider Shelob. Frodo was stung and captured there in March 3019, and Sam rescued him from the tower.
Cuiviénen, the Water of Awakening, was the bay of the inland Sea of Helcar in the east of Middle-earth beside which the Elves first awoke under the stars. Oromë found them there, Melkor's shadows haunted them, and from its shores the three hosts of the Eldar set out on the Great Journey to the West.
Dagorlad, the Battle Plain, was the open, stony country before the Black Gate of Mordor. The Last Alliance won its great victory there in S.A. 3434, and Gondor fought the Wainriders on it twice in the nineteenth century of the Third Age.
Dale is the town of Men in the valley beneath the Lonely Mountain, grown rich in the days of the Dwarves and destroyed by Smaug in T.A. 2770. Bard the Bowman, heir of its last lord, refounded it after the dragon's death, and his grandson Brand died defending it against the Easterlings in the War of the Ring.
The Dead Marshes were the fen-country between the Emyn Muil and the Black Gate, spread over the graves of those who fell at the Battle of Dagorlad. Gollum led Frodo and Sam through them in March 3019 past the pale faces of the dead beneath the water.
Dol Guldur was Sauron's stronghold in the south of Mirkwood, built on the bare hill of Amon Lanc about T.A. 1050 when he returned to Middle-earth disguised as the Necromancer. From it the Shadow spread over Greenwood for two thousand years, until the White Council drove him out in 2941 and Celeborn and Galadriel destroyed it at the end of the War of the Ring.
Dor-lómin was the south-western region of Hithlum, given by Fingolfin to Hador and held by his house until the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. It was the home of Húrin and Morwen and the birthplace of Túrin, and after the great defeat it fell under the harsh rule of the Easterlings.
Dorthonion was the high pine-covered upland north of Doriath, held by Angrod and Aegnor and settled by the House of Bëor. Morgoth's fire overran it in the Bragollach, and as Taur-nu-Fuin, the forest under night, it became a place of dread from which Beren alone escaped.
Dunharrow was an ancient mountain refuge above Harrowdale in Rohan, reached by a switchback road lined with the stone Púkel-men. Here the muster of Rohan gathered in March 3019, and from its edge Aragorn entered the Paths of the Dead beneath the Haunted Mountain.
Edoras was the capital of Rohan, a walled town on a green hill at the mouth of Harrowdale with the Golden Hall of Meduseld at its crown. Here Gandalf roused Théoden from Wormtongue's influence in the War of the Ring, and here the kings of the Mark were buried in the barrows below the walls.
Ezellohar was the green mound outside the gate of Valmar on which Yavanna raised Telperion and Laurelin, the Two Trees of Valinor. Their mingled silver and gold light was the light of the Blessed Realm for the whole age named after them, until Melkor and Ungoliant killed them and their last flower and fruit became the Moon and Sun.
Fangorn was the ancient forest at the south-eastern feet of the Misty Mountains, last remnant of the great woods of the Elder Days and home of Treebeard and the Ents. From it came the march that destroyed Isengard in the War of the Ring.
Formenos was the stronghold Fëanor built in the north of Valinor when he was banished from Tirion, where he kept the Silmarils and where his father Finwë went with him. Melkor came there on the night of the Darkening, slew Finwë at its door, and stole the Silmarils, the first killing and the first theft in Aman.
Fornost Erain, the Norbury of the Kings, was the capital of Arthedain on the North Downs and the last royal city of the Dúnedain of the North. Captured by Angmar in T.A. 1974, it gave its name to the battle of the following year in which the Witch-king's power was broken, and afterwards lay empty as Deadmen's Dike.
The Halls of Mandos stood on the western edge of Valinor by the Outer Sea, the dwelling of Námo the Doomsman and Vairë the Weaver. The spirits of slain Elves went there to wait, and those of Men passed through; Melkor was imprisoned in the Halls for three ages, and it was there that Lúthien sang before Mandos and won Beren's return.
Harad was the vast southern land beyond the river Harnen, home of the Haradrim, whose kings were at times subject to Gondor and more often allied with Sauron. Its warriors and mûmakil marched against Gondor in the War of the Ring, and Aragorn made peace with them afterwards.
The Helcaraxë was the strait of grinding ice in the far north where Aman and Middle-earth came closest together. Melkor and Ungoliant crossed it fleeing the Valar, and Fingolfin led the abandoned Noldor over it in a march of terrible loss to arrive in Middle-earth with the first rising of the Moon.