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Forest · Rhovanion

Lothlórien

Lórien · Golden Wood · Laurelindórenan

The Golden Wood between Silverlode and Anduin, where the mallorn trees grow and time runs strangely

Appears in
The Lord of the Rings
Region
Rhovanion
Journeys passing through
3
Lothlórien on the map of Middle-earth

On the map Lothlórien is a compact block of forest with clear water boundaries: the Celebrant, called Silverlode, on the north and west, the Anduin on the east, and open land toward the Field of Celebrant in the south. Moria's East-gate and the Dimrill Dale lie a short march up the Silverlode, which is how the Fellowship arrived.

The wood is full of mallorn trees, tall with silver bark and golden leaves that stay on the branch through winter and fall in spring as the new gold opens. The Galadhrim, the tree-people, live on flets high in the boughs. Haldir and his brothers kept the northern marches and challenged anyone crossing the Silverlode. Two places inside it carry their own names: Cerin Amroth, the mound where Aragorn and Arwen plighted their troth, and the river Nimrodel with the tale attached to it.

Galadriel holds Nenya, one of the Three Elven Rings, and its power keeps the land unstained and unchanging. Outsiders feel that as time behaving oddly, and the Fellowship argued about how many days had passed after they left. Sauron could not see into Lórien, and its neighbors, including Boromir's Gondor, treated it as perilous.

The Fellowship entered on 15 January TA 3019, grieving for Gandalf, and stayed a month. Frodo and Sam looked into Galadriel's Mirror, Frodo offered her the Ring and she refused it, and at parting the company received cloaks, lembas, boats, and gifts including the phial for Frodo and three hairs for Gimli. In March, while the war ran south, Dol Guldur attacked Lothlórien three times and was thrown back, and after the Ring was destroyed Galadriel went over the river and threw down its walls.

Events at this place

  1. TA 3019 · Appendices

    Assaults from Dol Guldur

    Sauron's forces attacked Lothlórien three times in March and were beaten off. Galadriel afterwards destroyed the walls of Dol Guldur.

  2. TA 3019, January 15 · The Lord of the Rings

    The Fellowship enters Lórien

    The company crossed the Nimrodel into the wood late on 15 January, the day of their escape from Moria, and met Haldir's wardens that night. Haldir brought them to Caras Galadhon on 17 January.

  3. TA 3019, February 14 · The Lord of the Rings

    The Mirror of Galadriel

    Frodo and Sam looked into the Mirror and saw past, possible and future things. Frodo offered Galadriel the Ring and she refused.

  4. TA 3019, February 16 · The Lord of the Rings

    Departure and the gifts

    On 16 February the company left by boat down the Silverlode, carrying elven cloaks, lembas and Galadriel's gifts.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Lothlórien on the Middle-earth map?

East of the Misty Mountains between the Silverlode and the Anduin, below the Dimrill Dale and north of the Field of Celebrant.

Why is Lothlórien called the Golden Wood?

Its mallorn trees keep golden leaves through winter and shed them in spring as new gold flowers open, so the wood looks gold for most of the year.

Does time pass differently in Lothlórien?

The Fellowship thought so and argued about it. Legolas explains that time passes at the same rate but is felt differently by elves, and Galadriel's ring keeps the land from changing.