Helcar

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Helcar (also spelled Helkar) was a great tower, raised by the Valar (some traditions say by Melkor) to house the northern of the Two Lamps, Illuin. It was placed in the north of Middle-earth, and together with the southern lamp Olmar, lit up all of Arda.

Helcar was destroyed by Melkor, and collapsed. This ruined a great part of Middle-earth and formed the inland Sea of Helcar.

In earlier versions of the legendarium, Helcar was made by Melkor out of ice, a substance not yet known to the Valar. The heat of Illuin then melted the tower, and the meltwater formed the Sea of Helcar.