Beleriand

Beleriand is a major region in J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, occupying the western portion of Middle-earth during the First Age. It lay between the Great Sea (Belegaer) to the west and the eastern range of the Blue Mountains (Ered Luin) to the east, with its northern and southern extents defined largely by the coastlines, rivers, and mountain belts that bound the land. It was the homeland of many Elven realms and played a central role in the histories of the Silmarils.

Geography and notable areas within Beleriand include several prominent realms and sites. The Havens of Sirion stood along the lower reaches of the river Sirion, near the coast. The coastal region known as the Falas included strongholds such as Eglarest and Brithombar. Inland lay Doriath, ruled by Thingol and famed for the Forest of Brethil and the Girdle of Melian; Nargothrond, established by Finrod Felagund; and Gondolin, the hidden city founded by Turgon. The northern highlands of Hithlum and other valleys and forests formed part of the wider land, while the Dwarven realms Belegost and Nogrod lay near the nearby Ered Luin.

Historically, Beleriand was the theatre of the early struggles of the Elves and their allies against Morgoth. It witnessed the exilic journeys of Fëanor and the creation of the Silmarils, and it endured through episodes such as the Dagor Bragollach and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. The War of Wrath, waged by the Valar against Morgoth, ended with the destruction of much of Beleriand and the land sinking beneath the Belegaer.

Today, Beleriand is remembered primarily through the legends recorded in the Silmarillion and related works. Its stories underpin much of Tolkien’s early mythic history and the foundational lore of Elven-kind in Middle-earth.