Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps
Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps (© Leonid Andronov/Getty Images)
The real Rivendell?
For Tolkien Reading Day, we’re visiting the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps, which is believed to have inspired the Elven sanctuary of Rivendell in JRR Tolkien’s novels The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Like Tolkien's mythical Elf settlement, Lauterbrunnen Valley has a bit of storybook appeal, with an unusually narrow valley floor hemmed in by steep Alpine cliffs and dotted with numerous waterfalls. The valley remains a popular tourist destination.
© Leonid Andronov/Getty Images