Rivendell

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Rivendell
Valley/City
J.R.R. Tolkien - Rivendell.jpg
General Information
Other namesImladris, the Last Homely House
LocationWest of Hithaeglir
TypeValley/City
DescriptionHidden valley with permanent elven settlement
RegionsElrond's dominion
People and History
InhabitantsElves
EventsQuest of Erebor, Council of Elrond
GalleryImages of Rivendell

Rivendell is an Elven outpost in Middle-earth. It is also referred to as "The Last Homely House East of the Sea", a reference to Valinor, which is west of the sea. It is established by Elrond in the Second Age of Middle-earth (four or five thousand years before the War of the Ring). Besides Elrond himself, notable Elves who lived there include Arwen and Glorfindel.

During the War of the Elves and Sauron in the Second Age, Rivendell was under siege by the forces of Sauron.

In TA 1409, Angmar besieged Rivendell to prevent it from aiding Arthedain and Cardolan.

In the Quest for Erebor, Bilbo Baggins stopped off at Rivendell with the Dwarves on the way to the Lonely Mountain and also on the way back to the Shire with Gandalf.

Years later, Frodo Baggins and his Hobbit companions journey to Rivendell, where they meet with Bilbo, who had retired there after his 111th birthday, spending his time on his memoir, There and Back Again. Several other Elves, Dwarves and Men also arrive at Rivendell on separate errands; at the Council of Elrond they learn that all of their errands are related to the fate of the One Ring, and they must decide what to do about it. In the end it is the Hobbits who influence the decision.

Rivendell is located at the edge of a narrow gorge of the Bruinen River (one of the main approaches to Rivendell comes from a nearby ford of Bruinen), but well hidden in the moorlands and foothills of the Hithaeglir or the Misty Mountains.

Etymology

The Sindarin translation of Rivendell is Imladris, meaning "Deep Valley of the Cleft". Rivendell is the translation of Westron Karningul.

Inspiration

A possible inspiration could have been Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, which Tolkien visited in 1911:

"I am….delighted that you have made the acquaintance of Switzerland, and of the very part that I once knew best and which had the deepest effect on me. The hobbit’s journey from Rivendell to the other side of the Misty Mountains, including the glissade down the slithering stones into the pine woods, is based on my adventures in 1911 (he was 19 and traveled to Lauterbrunnen)……Our wanderings mainly on foot in a party of 12 are not now clear in sequence, but leave many vivid pictures as clear as yesterday." (He talks of similar conditions of the travel of Bilbo camping out, walking mountain paths, carrying packs)."
Letter 306

Portrayal in Adaptations

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Rivendell is one of the major cities in the game, located between Trollshaws and the Misty Mountains. Elves are able to quick travel to the city if they have earned the trait, have it equiped and have one travel ration. Rivendell is also one of the places that players can choose as Elven character's homeland.

See also

External links