Middle-earth

Location

Mordor

Also known as The Black Land, The Land of Shadow

Sauron’s realm behind the Mountains of Shadow, ringed by the Ephel Dúath and Ered Lithui.

Tolkien’s textsSupported by the narratives published in Tolkien’s lifetime.
Type
Realm
Region
east of Gondor
Age
The Third Age
On the map
62%, 67%
Mordor

On the interactive atlas

Coordinates shown here are approximate, marking this place on the shared atlas map for orientation rather than cartography. It sits on the Third Age layer.

View on the interactive atlas →

Geography

A great plateau ringed by mountains, with the plain of Gorgoroth, the plateau of Nurn to the south, and the plateau of Udûn in the northwest. Entry lies through the Black Gate, Cirith Gorgor, or the pass of Cirith Ungol.

History

Chosen by Sauron because its mountains made a natural fortress. He built Barad-dûr and the Black Gate; it fell at the end of the Second Age and was rebuilt when he returned.

People & inhabitants

Orcs, Trolls, Uruks and subject peoples; Sauron’s slaves in the south.

Significance

The destination of the quest. The Ring can only be unmade in the fires of Orodruin, the Mountain of Doom.

Connections

Minas Morgul and the Morgul Vale in the west; Nurn and the Sea of Núrnen in the south.

Events here

Figures of this place

Sources

  • The Lord of the Rings · 1954–55

    Three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King.

  • The Silmarillion · 1977

    Posthumously edited. Contains the Ainulindalë, Valaquenta, Quenta Silmarillion, Akallabêth and Of the Rings of Power.

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