Middle-Earth Tours

Tour 2: The Places of Middle-Earth

Rivendell
Frodo woke and found himself lying in bed. At first he thought that he had slept late, after a long unpleasant dream that still hovered on the edge of memory. Or perhaps he had been ill? But the the ceiling looked strange; it was flat, and it had dark beams richly carved. He lay a little while longer looking at patches of sunlight on the wall, and listening to the sound of a waterfall.
    'Where am I, and what is the time?' he said aloud to the ceiling.
    'In the house of Elrond, and it is ten o'clock in the morning,' said a voice. 'It is the morning of October the twenty-fourth, if you want to know.'
    'Gandalf!' cried Frodo, sitting up. There was the old wizard, sitting in a chair by the open window. --FotR, "Many Meetings"

Frodo Awakens at Rivendell, from the Cannes film booklet on the official movie site).
Frodo Awakens at Rivendell, by Carol Emery Phenix
Frodo Awakens at Rivendell, from the official movie guide (pic courtesy of theonering.net).
Note the fine Elven detail on Frodo's new shirt -- not to mention the chain around his neck, on which the Ring has been hung.

Rivendell, by David Wyatt
Descent to Rivendell, by John Howe
Rivendell, by Alan Lee

It's a big house this, and very peculiar. Always a bit more to discover, and no knowing what you'll find around a corner. And Elves, sir! Elves here, and Elves there! Some like kings, terrible and splendid; and some as merry as children. And the music and the singing--' --Sam gives his first impression of Rivendell, FotR, "Many Meetings"

Rivendell, by Ted Nasmith




Arwen and Aragorn, image from the second commercial available on the official movie site
Bilbo at Rivendell, by Alan Lee
Rivendell, by J. R. R. Tolkien


matte painting from Dusso


His [Elrond's] house was perfect, whether you liked food, orsleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley. -- The Hobbit, "A Short Rest"

Bilbo at Rivendell, image courtesy
of the French site
Numenoreen
Bilbo gives Sting to Frodo, image courtesy of the French site Numenoreen
the gardens of Rivendell, image courtesy of the French site Numenoreen

Next day Frodo woke early, feeling refreshed and well. He walked along the terraces about the loud-flowing Bruinen and watched the pale, cool sun rise above the mountains, and shine down, slanting through the thin silver mist; the dew upon the yellow leaves was glimmering, and the woven nets of gossamer twinkled on every bush. Sam walked beside him, saying nothing, but sniffing the air, and looking every now and again with wonder in his eyes at the great heights in the East. The snow was white upon the peaks. --FotR, "The Council of Elrond"

image courtesy of
Ain't It Cool News
image from a screensaver on the official movie site
from a trailer on the official
movie site

At the Ford, by John Howe

The Ford of Bruinen

 If you're taking this tour in the suggested order, you've probably just come from the Ford of Bruinen. But if you haven't been there yet and would like to see Frodo's last stand with the Ringwraiths, just click the image at left. Alternately, you may click the image at right to visit the Council of Elrond.
detail of the Council of Elrond,
by Alan Lee

The Council of Elrond
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien and theonering.net.