Certain areas of Middle-Earth were filmed in certain areas of New Zealand. The Land of Mordor (where the shadows lie) was filmed primarily in Tongariro National Park. With black rocks, towering peaks and desolate plains, it made the perfect place for Sauron to call home.
In Peter Jackson's film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, Mount Doom was represented by two active volcanoes in New Zealand: Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu, located in Tongariro National Park.
Mordor was a land in the south-east of the Westlands east of Gondor. During most of the Second and Third Ages it was ruled by Sauron and it was his dwelling and base from which he attempted to conquer Middle-earth.
As mentioned in a previous article—recently reposted on the Strange Maps Facebook page on the occasion of the death of Ian Holm—Tolkien admitted that “The Shire is based on rural England, and not on any other country in the world,” and that “the action of the story takes place in the North-West of 'Middle-earth', ...
Experience wilderness in Tongariro National Park - an area known for its mountainous, desolate beauty. This region was used as the location for some of the filming of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It is also famous for the Tongariro Crossing - an iconic kiwi day hike.
The films were shot simultaneously. Their production was undertaken entirely in Jackson's native New Zealand. It spanned the 14-month period from October 1999 until December 2000, with pick-up shots filmed over a further 24 months, from 2001 to 2003.
Most associate this spectacular site with its grand unveiling as Gandalf and Pippin gallop upon Shadowfax, arriving at the White City as the morning sun overtakes them. The Minas Tirith set is located in Aoraki National Park, and the drive there is a true highlight in its own right.
The Black Speech is one of the fictional languages constructed by J. R. R. Tolkien for his legendarium, where it was spoken in the evil realm of Mordor.
Mt Ngāuruhoe (pronounciation 'naa-ooroo-hway') is located in New Zealand's Tongariro National Park. This active volcano played an iconic role as Mordor's Mount Doom in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien's classic fantasy novel The Lord Of The Rings trilogy.
The Black Gate or the Black Gate of Mordor, also known as Morannon in Sindarin, is a location in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. It lies in the valley of Udûn, and it is the most fortified and direct entrance to Mordor. After the fall of Sauron, the Black Gate became a garrison of the Rangers of the Black Gate.
They invaded Mordor and besieged Barad-dûr for seven years. Finally, Sauron came out to fight face-to-face, killing Elendil and Gil-galad; Elendil's sword Narsil broke beneath him. Isildur took up the hilt-shard and cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand, vanquishing Sauron.
You can wander through Rivendell, Osgiliath Wood, Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith, and the Outer Shire. Venture to the South Island and you'll be instantly transported to the supernatural beauty of Rohan, Lothlorien, Isengard, the Ithilien Camp, River Anduin, Ford of Bruinen, Amon Hen and the Misty Mountains.
Mordor existed long before the Second Age. We know that Sauron settled Mordor in SA 1000, but we are told in the quote that Shelob ate Elves and Men, while living in the Ephel Duath. This means only one thing; that the Ithilduin / Morgul Pass was used by Elves and Men even at that time.
Sauron was indeed a Maiar, similar to Gandalf, Radagast, Saruman and the two Blue Wizards. He was somewhat stronger, however, so they could not directly struggle with him (they were forbidden to do so, anyway, by the Valar).
In Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, orcs appear as a brutish, aggressive, ugly, and malevolent race of monsters, contrasting with the benevolent Elves. He described their origins inconsistently, including as a corrupted race of elves, or bred by the Dark Lord Morgoth, or turned to evil in the wild.
His theft of the Silmarils and wars against Elves and Men encompassed much of the history of the late First Age. Eventually, Morgoth was bound in chains by the Valar and thrown into the Void, leaving the permanent damage his evils had done, and his former lieutenant Sauron, to trouble the world.
The Nazgûl (from Black Speech nazg 'ring', and gûl 'wraith, spirit') – introduced as Black Riders and also called Ringwraiths, Dark Riders, the Nine Riders, or simply the Nine – are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth.
No, Sauron was never a human, nor was he an elf. He was one of the Maia, the lesser divine beings that participated in the design and construction of Arda. In particular he was a servant of Aule, but he chose to desert the side of Aule and become the servant (and slave) of Morgoth.
Of course, most of the castle and city of Rivendell were created by CGI, but the grassy area in the forest that was used for filming can easily be spotted by a signpost explaining that Lord of the Rings filming took place there.
While many of GoT's recurring sets (like the Iron Throne) were filmed at Paint Hall studios in Belfast, the show was largely filmed on-location, primarily in Northern Ireland and Iceland for scenes in the North and Croatia and Spain for the South.
Dimrill Dale and Moria, Mt Owen – accessible only via helicopter tour or a challenging walk through Kahurangi National Park, this rugged location became Dimrill Dale and the mountains of Moria, where the bereft Fellowship flee Moria and the Balrog after Gandalf falls in The Fellowship of the Ring.
