Sixth Gate

The location of the Sixth Gate within the Orfalch Echor (not to scale)

The Fifth and Sixth Gates of Gondolin were each dedicated to one of the Two Trees of Valinor. After passing through the Fifth Gate (which commemorated the White Tree Telperion), a long straight road ran on along the pass of the Orfalch Echor toward the Sixth Gate. This was the Golden Gate, upon whose wall was an image of the Golden Tree Laurelin. The original Tree had grown shining clusters of flowers, and on the Gate these flowers were modelled from topaz hanging from chains of gold.

The golden image of Laurelin above the Gate stood on a wall of yellow marble, along the top of which ran a row of globes made of red gold. Within the wall, the Sixth Gate itself was patterned with images of the Sun (the last flower of Golden Laurelin) surrounded by gemstones of yellow and red. In the courtyard behind the Gate and its wall, a guard of three hundred Elves stood ready, each armoured in gilded mail and bearing a golden-plumed helm, a bow and a flame-red shield.