Rivendell

Rivendell, called Imladris in the Elvish tongue Sindarin, is an Elven refuge in a hidden valley in the foothills of the Misty Mountains in Middle-earth. It is the dwelling of Elrond Half-elven and a haven of peace, learning, healing, and counsel, often called the Last Homely House east of the Sea. For thousands of years Rivendell stood as one of the chief strongholds of the Elves and the wise in the struggle against Sauron.

Rivendell lies near the Ford of Bruinen on the road from the west to the High Pass over the Misty Mountains. It is a place of deep memory and lore, where the heirlooms and histories of ages past are preserved, and where the weary and the imperiled find sanctuary.

Geography

Rivendell is set in a steep, hidden cleft in the land, where the river Bruinen (the Loudwater) tumbles down from the mountains. The valley is sheltered and difficult to find, protected by the power of Elrond and by the river, which can rise in flood at his command. The house itself is a place of fair halls, gardens, and the sound of running water, full of song and firelight.

The Ford of Bruinen before Rivendell is the scene of a famous flood loosed against the Nazgûl.

History

Rivendell was founded by Elrond in the Second Age, during the war against Sauron, when it became a refuge for the Elves of Eregion and a fortress of the Elves and their allies. It withstood siege in that war and endured ever after as a stronghold of the Eldar. Through the long years of the Third Age it remained a house of healing, wisdom, and remembrance, where Elrond kept the shards of Narsil and sheltered the heirs of Isildur, including Aragorn, who was raised there.

In the story

Rivendell is central to the tale of the One Ring. Bilbo Baggins visits and later dwells there. Frodo Baggins, gravely wounded by a Morgul-blade, is borne to Rivendell and healed by Elrond. There the Council of Elrond is held, where the history of the Ring is told and the decision is made to destroy it in the fire of Mount Doom, and there the Fellowship of the Ring is formed and sets out on its quest.

After the War of the Ring and the passing of the Three Rings, the power that preserved Rivendell faded, and in time Elrond and many of his folk departed over the Sea from the Grey Havens.