Middle-Earth Tours

Tour 2: The Places of Middle-Earth

Moria

The West Gate of Durin,
by Alan Lee		 Right between the shadow of the trees there was a smooth space, and over this [Gandalf] passed his hands to and fro, muttering words under his breath. Then he stepped back.
    'Look!' he said. "Can you see anything now?'
    The Moon now shone upon the grey face of the rock; but they could see nothing else for awhile. Then slowly on the surface, where the wizard's hands had passed, faint lines appeared, like slender veins of silver running in the stone. At first they were no more than pale gossamer threads, so fine that they only twinkled fitfully where the Moon caught them, but steadily they grew broader and clearer, until their design could be guessed. --FotR, "A Journey in the Dark"
Password into Moria,
by Ted Nasmith
What are you going to do then?' asked Pippin, undaunted by the wizard's bristling brows.
    'Knock on the door with your head, Peregrin Took,' said Gandalf. 'But if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will seek for the opening words.' --FotR, "A Journey in the Dark"

Moria Lake, image from a
Decipher trading card
image courtesy of elostirion.com
image from the second commercial available on the official movie site
The arm let go of Frodo, and Sam pulled him away, crying out for help. Twenty other arms came rippling out. The dark water boiled, and there was a hideous stench.
    'Into the gateway! Up the stairs! Quick!' shouted Gandalf leaping back. Rousing them from the horror that seemed to have rooted all but Sam to the ground where they stood, he drove them forward.--FotR, "A Journey in the Dark"
image from the second commercial available on the official movie site

image from a Decipher
trading card

 The passage twisted round a few turns, and then began to descend. It went steadily down for a long while before it became level once again. The air grew hot and stifling, but it was not foul, and at times they felt currents of cooler air upon their faces, issuing from half-guessed openings in the walls. There were many of these. In the pale ray of the wizard's staff, Frodo caught glimpses of stairs and arches, and of other passages and tunnels, sloping up, or running steeply down, or opening blankly dark on either side. It was bewildering beyond hope of remembering. --FotR, "A Journey in the Dark"

Moria, by Luca Michelucci

 From the feeling of the air we must be in a wide hall. I will now risk a little real light.
    He [Gandalf] raised his staff, and for a brief instant there was a blaze like a flash of lightning. Great shadows sprang up and fled, and for a second they saw a vast roof far above their heads upheld by many mighty pillars hewn of stone. Before them and on either side stretched a huge empty hall; its black walls, polished and smooth as glass, flashed and glittered. Three other entrances they saw, dark black arches: one straight before them eastwards, and one on either side. Then the light went out. --FotR, "A Journey in the Dark"
In the Halls of Moria, by Alan Lee
Balin's Tomb and Beyond


Balin's Tomb, by Anke-Katrin Eiszmann		 Balin's Tomb and the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm each have their own pages. Click on the images at left or right to explore further. The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm


The Mines of Moria, by David Wyatt
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien and the official LotR movie site