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The sides of the westward hills fell into shadow, and the Sun grew round and red. Here and there a misty star peered out. The three peaks loomed before them, darkling in the twilight. Rauros was roaring with a great voice. Already night was laid on the flowing waters when the travellers came at last under the shadow of the hills.
- The Fellowship of the Ring (Book 2), Chapter 9
This majestic waterfall is situated where the Great River Anduin plunges down steep cliffs. The waters rush with immense strength, producing a mist visible from far away. The area around the waterfall is marked by steep cliffs and thick woods, enhancing the region's striking and untamed beauty. To one side of the falls, a narrow stair was cut by Gondor in ages past, allowing travelers to make their way down to the lower Anduin. This waterfall is both a breathtaking sight and a reminder of the power and unpredictability of nature in this vast, mythical land.
The Falls of Rauros, a striking natural feature within Middle-earth, are situated along the River Anduin, marking the northern border of Gondor. Positioned at the eastern end of Nen Hithoel, above the lake’s inflow from the Anduin, the falls delineate a critical juncture between the wilds, untamed lands to the north and the more structured, governed regions to the south.
The region immediately surrounding the Falls of Rauros is technically under the sovereignty of Gondor, though the actual control and influence might wane depending on the period and the political stability of Gondor. The falls themselves are near significant historical and strategic locations like Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw, which are part of the ancient realm established by Gondor to watch over and protect the northern territories against incursions from the east and the north.
Throughout the Third Age, the influence of Gondor in this region varies, with the falls lying close to contested and often perilous areas, making them a boundary between the relative security of Gondor and the wilder parts of Middle-earth.
The Fellowship of the Ring (Book 2)
The Two Towers (Book 3)
The Return of the King (Book 6)
