Cities

The Post War Dream

Bree

bree is the main village of bree-hill, which consists of a few other villages and some farmland. it is located in eriador (the area encompassin the shire, grey havens etc) and is east of the barrow-downs, a grassy wasteland. its populace of men and hobbits live togheter harmoniusly, and refer to each other as big folk and little folk respectivly. balirman butterbur's bar, the prancing pony inn is the major tavern, and it is located on a crossroads, thus attracting travellers such as the dunedain rangers, and wandering bands of dwarves. it is here that strider aka aragorn finds frodo is the one who possesses the one ring, and the four hobbits take him as a guide to rivendell.

Edoras

edoras is the chief city (well, hamlet) of the realm of rohan, and it is where the current king, theoden, resides in the golden halls of meduseld (or something like that). this town is built atop a rocky mesa. we first encounter this place when aragorn, gimli, gandalf the white and legolas arrive here to find a place "less cheery than a graveyard". inside the golden halls, grima wormtongue, a servant of saruman, is poisoning the king's mind to the extent he cares nothing about the death of his own son, theodred. however, gandalf the white sucks the lies of saruman straight out of his body, amid some of the greatest lines in the movie, and the real king returns, tossing grima out the door.

Hobbiton

hobbiton is one of the chief towns of the shire's west farthing, however it is not the capital (which is michel delving). it is similiar in appearence to every town in the shire, with hills, pastures, small woodlands, and the famed hobbit-hole architechtural style. here we meet bilbo and frodo baggins, who live atop the hill, on bagshot row, in bag end, one of the most enveyed homes in the neighbourhood.

Minas Tirith

the main citadel of gondor, however not the capital (osgiliath, below). the city is shown as fair, white, and beautiful, and stays true to tolkien's words that "it did look a little neglected" (or something like that). it has seven levels (also shown in the movie) and the highest of these in the citadel, with the great courtyard. the king at the time of the movies is not really a king at all; he is a steward. it is set upon a mountain range (i'm not sure of the name). looking out eastward from it, we can see the pellenor fields, osgiliath on the river anduin, a few more flats, minas morgul (ithil) and the tower of cirith ungol, and then finally we enter gorgoroth, the plains of mordor.

Another, much closer view of Minas Tirith

Osgiliath

osgiliath, the ancient capital of gondor. in the movie, it is shown as war-torn, and from what we see of it, battles are constantly raging on. however, in the books, this city is deserted. (the movie version of the city is a much more exciting and interesting one, mind you). the city in itself is similar in appereance to minas tirith, and covers two sides of the great river anduin, with canals and great, mighty bridges. this was also the home of the citadel, but it was permenatly moved to minas tirith for some reason... can't remember.

Rivendell

a historical home of the elves, ruled by elrond. not as city as such, more of a large house really. we hear a little about this place - it is nestled in a deep valley, densely forested, with great waterfalls on many sides. the whole place has a magical, timeless feeling to it, and thus is one of the most beautiful realms in the whole of endor (middle-earth). its fate is unknown after the second war of the ring, as all the population departed for aman (the undying lands) and never returned.