'Lord of the Rings' on Location Quiz

Answer: Welcome to Hobbiton

Hobbiton was not originally planned to be a permanent display, but when its tourist potential became obvious (and because it was reused for the filming of 'The Hobbit' movies), it was redesigned and extended. As well as Bilbo's home (Bag End), the tour takes you to the Party Tree, and nearly 50 hobbit holes. Most of these cannot be entered (interior filming was done in a studio), but it is interesting to see the different sizes that were used.

Some (used for long shots) are quite small, as suits the stature of hobbits, while others are larger so that the human actors seem smaller than they really are.

Answer: Rivendell

Rivendell was the home of Elrond, his wife Celebrian, their sons Elladan and Elrohir, and their daughter Arwen (who got a much larger role in the movies than she had in the books). Bilbo had retired there to write his memoirs; Frodo and his travelling companions arrived there when Arwen rescued them from the Ringwraiths that had attacked them, leaving Frodo seriously injured from a knife wound inflicted by the Witch-king of Angmar, the leader of the Nazgūl. During his lengthy recovery, the others who would eventually form the Fellowship also arrived on various missions.

Answer: Orthanc

Saruman, at this stage, was already in league with the dark forces moving in the land, having used the palantir located in Orthanc, in the middle of the fortress of Isengard. When Gandalf visited him on Council business (after telling Frodo to leave the Shire with his hobbit companions), Saruman took him captive - the reason that he did not meet the travellers in Bree, as planned.

He was rescued from Orthanc by the eagle Gwaihir, and arrived in Rivendell soon after Frodo.

Answer: Anduin

The Anduin had its source in the Misty Mountains, flowing south between them and Mirkwood as far as Lothlorien, where its path turned towards the east as it continued its generally southerly path to reach the sea in Gondor, south of Minas Tirith. It is the site of Gladden Fields, where Isuldur lost the One Ring, and Deagol found it, only to have it taken from him by his cousin Smeagol, later known as Gollum.

A stretch of the Hutt River was used to film the travellers leaving Lothlorien. The Kawarau Gorge, on the South Island, was used to show shots of the Gates of Argonath, as the Anduin River entered Gondor.

Answer: The Paths of the Dead

Long ago, in the Second Age, a group of people who lived in the White Mountains had first served Sauron, then allied themselves with Isuldur, but then betrayed him, refusing to fight on either side in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Isuldur cursed them, condemning them to live in the mountains until his heir called on them once again to fight Sauron. Over time they all died, but their ghosts remained inside the mountain, and it was this army of the dead that Aragorn called on to provide the army he needed to capture the ships which he would sail to the aid of Minas Tirith in 'The Return of the King'.

Answer: Mount Doom

The image shows Mount Ngauruhoe, which is just north of Mount Ruahepu and south of Mount Tongariro. Long shots of Mount Doom were digitally-altered shots of Mount Ngauruhoe, but the lower slopes of all three volcanoes were used for filming. Tours can be arranged to visit the specific spots were various Mordor scenes were filmed, including Ohakune Mountain Road on the Mangawhero River (where Gollum caught a fish), Mangawhero Falls (site of Ithilien Camp), and Whakapapa Ski Area (where Isuldur cut off Sauron's ring-bearing finger). Mount Ruahepu, New Zealand's largest active volcano, was also used for some scenes of Lonely Mountain in 'The Desolation of Smaug'.

Answer: Theoden

The buildings, including the Golden Hall, were built at the top of the cliffs, with the walls and gatehouse at their foot. The buildings were actually used for offices and as dining areas during filming, since interior scenes were shot in a studio, and Mt Sunday was only used for external shots of Edoras.

After filming, the set was completely removed, so there is nothing there to see now, except the spectacular scenery.

Answer: The Battle of Pelennor Fields

Pelennor Fields lay outside the walls of Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor. It was here that Sauron's armies of Orcs and Easterlings lay siege to the city. A day later, the Riders of Rohan arrived, and held the forces of Mordor at bay until the decisive arrival of Aragorn. During this battle, Theoden died, and Eowyn (with a bit of help from Merry) killed the Witch King.

Answer: Lothlorien

After the loss of Gandalf in Moria, the Fellowship struggled on to Lothlorien, where Galadriel and Celeborn offered them the chance to recover and prepare for the rest of their journey. As they departed, Galadriel offered them gifts that she knew would be useful: for all of them, lembas (elven travel bread), elven cloaks and broaches, and boats to use on the Anduin River. Sam also got some rope, Merry and Pippin silver belts, and Frodo a light-giving phial.

When she asked Gimli what he would like, he asked for one of her hairs; she gave him three.

Answer: Fangorn Forest

In 'The Two Towers', Merry and Pippin escaped the Uruk-hai and hid in Fangorn Forest, where they met Treebeard, the oldest survivor of a race of tree shepherds called Ents. The hobbits persuaded him to accompany them to Isengard, where the Ents were so enraged by the way Saruman had damaged the land (chopping down all the trees) that they flooded the area, making him a captive in Orthanc.