Gondolin

Gondolin (from Quenya Ondolindë, 'song of stone', or from Sindarin Gond-dolen, 'hidden rock') is a fictional city appearing in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien set in Middle-earth. It was a secret city of the First Age Noldor founded by Turgon, the second son of Fingolfin, in the Surrounding Mountains north of Beleriand. It is estimated that it had a population of forty thousand, deduced from the host of ten thousand elves sent to the Nírnaeth Arnoediad.

The seven gates of Gondolin were made of wood, stone, bronze, wrought iron, silver, gold, and the Great Steel Gate. Each had its own guard and captain.

History

Gondolin was the most beautiful and famous Noldorin city in Beleriand. Turgon built it in secret with the help of the vala Ulmo, who blessed and gave protection to the city. Gondolin was said to be such a beautiful city that it resembled Tirion, the Noldor city of Aman, from which Turgon drew his inspiration.

Raised in white stone it lay hidden and safe for centuries, thriving and living oblivious to the affairs of the outside world while Morgoth was unable to find it. Turgon, king and founder of Gondolin, marched into the Nírnaeth Arnoediad with ten thousand elven warriors, bearing extraordinary weapons and armor ("for the sword and accoutrements of Turgon's least warrior were worth more than the ransom of any king of men »), from this city. With the help of Huor and Húrin, Turgon was able to withdraw from the battlefield in the direction of Gondolin without being seen and thanks to this the city remained hidden and secret. In the year 511 Gondolin was laid waste by a horde of orcs, balrogs, wolves and dragons, due to the treachery of Maeglin, who revealed the location of Gondolin to Morgoth, after having fallen for Morgoth's wicked words and also because of the sick desire towards his cousin Idril. Gondolin was the last of the kingdoms of Beleriand to suffer the Fate of the Noldor.

This city created artifacts that have a place in the later Lord of the Rings story, in the Third Age of the Sun, such as Glamdring, the sword of Turgon, later wielded by Gandalf; Orcrist, the sword of Ecthelion, Lord of the Fountains (other possible wielders are Penlodh or Glorfindel), later wielded by Thorin Oakshield; Dart, a dagger wielded by Bilbo Baggins and then by his nephew Frodo, and finally, the Elessar, the "Elfstone" that was given to Aragorn in Lothlórien in Third Age 3018.

It may be said, finally, that Ulmo, when the hour of Gondolin's destiny drew near, sent a mortal man, Tuor son of Huor, to warn Turgon that the time for the departure of the people of Gondolin had come, but Turgon he loved his handiwork too much, and he disregarded the vala's advice, thus sealing the Curse of Mandos upon his city. Leading to the fall of Gondolin

The houses of Gondolin

Gondolin was divided into twelve 'houses', each having its own leaders. At the time of the fall of Gondolin, they were these:

Name	Leader	Emblema		Information
Bar-en-Alphram“House of the swan wing”, or White Wing	Tuor		A swan wing on a blue background.	This was the escort of Tuor and the smallest house where the bravest were begged.
House of the Topo	Maeglin		They look at round steel helmets with mole skin and double-edged axes. His shields and armours were black and without emblem or blass, like Morgoth's weapons.	This house was composed of miners loyal to Maeglin.
Bar-en-Duilin“House of the swallow”	Duilin		An arrowhead. In addition, they wore a fan of feathers in the yelmos; and they wore white, dark blue, purple and black.	This house had Gondolin's best archers.
House of the heavenly arch	Egalmoth			These were wealthy people; they composed the other half of the archers of Gondolin
Casa del Pilar	Penlodh			Not much is said of the lineage of the Pilar. His commander was Penlodh, the highest, shot down during the Gondolin Fall.
Casa de la Torre de Nieve	Penlodh			It's not much of the lineage of the Snow Tower. Penlodh, the highest, shot down during the Fall of Gondolin, shared his command with that of the House of Pilar.
Bar-en-Galadh“House of the Tree”	Galdor		A tree on a green background.	This house was packed with irons and mushrooms.
Bar-in-Lothglor“House of the Golden Flower”	Glorfindel		A gold flower on a green field.	This house was directed by Glorfindel, who died fighting a bull by escaping the city with many of the people of Gondolin, including Tuor and Idril, and his son Eärendil. However, thanks to his courageous acts in defense of his own, the valar allowed him to return from the Estancias de Mandos with his original body, and to return to the Middle Earth. He is the only one of the captains of the Gondolin Houses who is alive on the Middle Earth in the Third Age of the Sun.
Bar-en-Eithel“Casa de la Fuente”	Ecthelion		Diamonds on silver, precious elements that fascinated them.	Also the warriors of this house defended Gondolin's seventh door, and marched to battle accompanied by the music of flutes.
Casa del Arpa	Salgant		A silver harp on a black background.	These were a host of courageous warriors However, his leader was a coward, sweetener of Maeglin.
Bar-in-Damba“House of the Iracundo Hammer”	Rôg or Enerdhil		Anvil with a black hammer on a red background.	This was the biggest and most courageous house. It was composed of those blacksmiths and artisans who were not faithful to Maeglin and escaped from being slaves to Morgoth. They all died during the fall of Gondolin.
Bar-en-Aran“House of the King”	Turgon, the king		The Moon, and the Sun, and the scarlet heart of Finwë Nölome.	It was Gondolin's most important house was made up of the royal family and his escort.