Outer Gate of Gondolin

First of the Seven Gates

The Dry River was the hidden way into Gondolin, leading into a dark tunnel beneath the mountains of the Echoriath. This underground passage was under the watch of the Dark Guard¹, who guarded the Outer Gate of Gondolin. The Gate itself, also called the First Gate or the Gate of Wood, was a portcullis barring a stone archway that led out of the tunnel and into the Orfalch Echor. From there the Orfalch, a long narrow pass through the mountains, ran through the remaining Seven Gates of Gondolin until it reached the plain of Tumladen on which stood the fabled city itself.

Notes

1	The Dark Guard was captained by Elemmakil, at least at the time when Tuor came to Gondolin in I 495. There may of course have been other captains during the history of the Gate.

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