Editing Gondolin (section)

== City ==

=== Founding ===

[[File:Sketch Map of Beleriand.svg|thumb|upright=1.75|Sketch map of [[Beleriand]] in the [[First Age]]. Gondolin (centre top) is encircled by mountains. ]]

The city of Gondolin{{efn|Tolkien explained its origin in his "Name-list to "The Fall of Gondolin" thus: "''Gondolin'' meaneth in [[Noldor|Gnomish]] 'stone of song' (whereby figuratively the Gnomes meant stone that was carven and wrought to great beauty)".<ref group="T">{{harvnb|Tolkien|1984b}} p. 216.</ref>}} in [[Beleriand]], in the extreme northwest of [[Middle-earth]], is founded with divine inspiration. The mightiest of the Elvish cities, it is hidden by mountains and endures for centuries before being betrayed and destroyed.<ref name="Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin" group="T"/>

{{anchor|Turgon}}
Gondolin is founded by King Turgon<ref>See [[:Template:Half-elven family tree]] for Turgon's ancestry.</ref> in the [[First Age]]. According to ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', the [[Vala (Middle-earth)|Vala]] [[Ulmo]], the Lord of Waters, shows Turgon the Vale of Tumladen in a dream. Thus guided, Turgon travels from his kingdom in Nevrast and finds it. Within the Encircling Mountains is a round level plain surrounded by sheer walls; a ravine and tunnel, the Hidden Way, lead out to the southwest. In the middle of the vale is the steep Amon Gwareth, the "Hill of Watch". There Turgon decides to found a city, designed like the [[Noldor]] Elves' former city of Tirion in [[Valinor]]. Gondolin is built in secret. The Hidden Way is protected by seven gates, all constantly guarded; the first of wood, then stone, bronze, iron, silver, gold, and steel. After it is completed, he brings all his people from Nevrast to dwell in the hidden city—almost a third of the Noldor of [[Fingolfin]]'s House—and nearly three quarters of the northern [[Sindar]].<ref name="Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin" group="T"/>

=== Customs ===

{{see|List of weapons and armour in Middle-earth}}

{{Quote box|
 |quote  = {{bracket|[[Elrond]]:}} They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars. They must have come from a [[Dragon (Middle-earth)|dragon]]'s hoard or goblin plunder, for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago. This, [[Thorin Oakenshield|Thorin]], the runes name [[Orcrist]], the Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, [[Gandalf]], was [[Glamdring]], Foe-hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore. Keep them well!"<ref name="A Short Rest" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937|loc=''The Hobbit'', ch. 3 "A Short Rest"}}</ref>
 |author = [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
 |source = ''[[The Hobbit]]''
 |width  = 40%
 |align  = right
}}

Gondolin develops its own [[Sindarin]] dialect, containing regional elements and words adapted from another [[Elvish languages of Middle-earth|Elvish language]], [[Quenya]].{{efn|Tolkien stated that "This differed from the standard {{bracket|[[Sindarin]]}} (of [[Doriath (Middle-earth)|Doriath]]) (a) in having Western and some Northern elements, and (b) in incorporating a good many Noldorin-[[Quenya]] words in more or less Sindarized forms. Thus the city was usually called ''Gondolin'' (from Q.'' Ondolin(dë)'') with simple replacement of ''g-'', not ''Goenlin'' or ''Goenglin'' [as it would have been in standard Sindarin]".<ref name="WPP" group=T/>}}<ref name="WPP" group=T>''[[Parma Eldalamberon]] 17'', "Words, Phrases and Passages", p. 29</ref>

The Elven smiths of Gondolin make [[Named weapons in Middle-earth|powerful weapons]]. In ''[[The Hobbit]]'', the Gondolin-made swords [[Orcrist]], [[Glamdring]] and the dagger later named [[Sting (Middle-earth)|Sting]] are found in a [[Troll (Middle-earth)|Troll]]-hoard.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1937}} ch. 3 "A Short Rest"</ref> Each of these weapons has the ability to reveal nearby Orcs by glowing; they terrify Orcs in battle.<ref name="Whetter McDonald 2006">{{cite journal |last1=Whetter |first1=K. S. |last2=McDonald |first2=R. Andrew |year=2006 |title='In the Hilt is Fame': Resonances of Medieval Swords and Sword-lore in J.R.R. Tolkien's ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings'' |url=https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol25/iss1/2 |journal=[[Mythlore]] |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=19–20}}</ref>

According to ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'', the city has seven names: "’Tis said and ’tis sung: '''Gondobar''' am I called and '''Gondothlimbar''', City of Stone and City of the Dwellers in Stone; '''Gondolin''' the Stone of Song and '''Gwarestrin''' am I named, the Tower of the Guard, '''Gar Thurion''' or the Secret Place, for I am hidden from the eyes of Melko; but they who love me most greatly call me '''Loth''', for like a flower am I, even '''Lothengriol''' the flower that blooms on the plain."<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1984b}} p. 158</ref>

=== Houses and heraldry ===

{{multiple image
|width=110
|image1=House of the Harp.svg
|caption1=Each House of Gondolin had its own emblem; in the House of the Harp, "a harp of silver shone in their blazonry upon a field of black."<ref name="Fall of Gondolin" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1984b|loc="The Fall of Gondolin" pp. 172–174}}</ref>
|image2=Bar-en-Alphram.svg
|caption2=[[Tuor]]'s bodyguard "wore wings as it were of swans or gulls upon their helms, and the emblem of the White Wing was upon their shields."<ref name="Fall of Gondolin" group=T/>
|image3=House of the Mole.svg
|caption3=Maeglin's House of Moles wore plain black: "Sable was their harness, and they bore no sign or emblem, but their round caps of steel were covered with moleskin."<ref name="Fall of Gondolin" group=T/>
}}

{{main|Heraldry of Middle-earth#Houses of Gondolin}}

''The Book of Lost Tales'' states that the active male Elves of Gondolin belong to one of the 11 "Houses" or ''Thlim'', plus the bodyguard of Tuor, accounted as the twelfth. Each house has a distinct symbol: a mole, a swallow, the heavens, a pillar, a tower of snow, a tree, a golden flower, a fountain, a harp, a hammer and anvil, and finally the triple symbol of the King, namely the moon, sun, and scarlet heart worn by the Royal Guard.<ref group=T>{{cite journal |last=Tolkien |first=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |title=The Official Name List |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=13 |pages=100–105}}</ref>

=== Fall ===

{{further|Tuor and Idril|The Fall of Gondolin}}
{{anchor|Maeglin}}

The city stands for nearly 400 years until '''Maeglin''', Turgon's nephew, betrays it to [[Morgoth]]. Maeglin is captured while mining outside the Encircling Mountains, against Turgon's orders. Maeglin is promised Lordship as well as Turgon's daughter [[Tuor and Idril|Idril]], whom he had long coveted. The dark lord [[Morgoth]] sends an army over the Encircling Mountains during Gondolin's festival of The Gates of Summer, and sacks the city with relative ease. Morgoth's army consists of [[Orc (Middle-earth)|orcs]], [[Balrog]]s, [[Dragon (Middle-earth)|dragons]] and in early versions of the story iron machines powered by "internal fires". These are used to carry soldiers, to surmount difficult obstacles, and to defeat fortifications.<ref name="Garth 2003"/> Idril, noted for her intuition, had prepared a secret route out of Gondolin prior to the siege.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Rawls |first=Melanie |year=1984 |title=The Feminine Principle in Tolkien |url=https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2031&context=mythlore |journal=[[Mythlore]] |volume=30 |issue=3–4 |pages=8}}</ref> While her father Turgon perishes as his tower is destroyed, Idril flees the city, defended by her husband Tuor, a prince of [[Edain|Men]].<ref name="Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin" group="T">{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, Ch. 23, "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin"</ref>