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Places in Middle-earth

Gondolin

Type: Cities, Towns, Settlements

Region: Beleriand & North

Meaning: Hidden Rock

Other Names
The Seven Names of Gondolin were: Gondobar am I called and Gondothlimbar, City of Stone and City of the Dwellers in Stone; Gondolin the Stone of Song and Gwarestrin am I named, the Tower of Guard, Gar Thurion or the Secret Place, for I am hidden from the eyes of Melko; but they who love me most greatly call me Loth, for like a flower am I, even Lothengriol the flower that blooms on the plain.
Book of Lost Tales 2, Part III, The Fall of Gondolin
Also called:
Ondolindë (Quenya: 'Stone Song')
The Hidden City
The Hidden Realm
The Hidden Kingdom

Location: Gondolin was in the Vale of Tumladen hidden inside a ring made by the Encircling Mountains. In The Silmarillion it is mentioned that the vale had been a great lake in ancient days.
The Vale is located between the Ered Wethrin on the east and Dorthonion on the west. It is about 150 miles south of Thangorodrim, and north of the Forest of Brethil by less than 50 miles.

Description: ...it stands fair to see and very clear, and its towers prick the heavens
above the Hill of Watch in the midmost plain." Then Tuor and his companion fared over the plain that was of a marvellous level, broken but here and there by boulders round and smooth which lay amid a sward, or by pools in rocky beds. Many fair pathways lay across that plain, and they came after a day's light march to the foot of the Hill of Watch (which is in the tongue of the Noldoli Amon Gwareth). Then did they begin to ascend the winding stairways which climbed up to the city gate; nor might any one reach that city save on foot and espied from the walls. As the westward gate was golden in the last sunlight did they come to the long stair's head, and many eyes gazed upon them from the battlements and towers.

But Tuor looked upon the walls of stone, and the uplifted towers, upon the glistering pinnacles of the town, and he looked upon the stairs of stone and marble, bordered by slender balustrades and cooled by the leap of threadlike waterfalls seeking the plain from the fountains of Amon Gwareth, and he fared as one in some dream of the Gods, for he deemed not such things were seen by men in the visions of their sleep, so great was his amaze at the glory of Gondolin.

Book of Lost Tales 2, Part III, The Fall of Gondolin

Contributors: Lyllyn 5.27.03; added Names: Elena Tiriel 11Oct04

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