In 1911, when Tolkien was only 19, he travelled with a on a walking tour of the Swiss Alps. It was his first and only experience of truly large mountains, and as he later made clear in several of his letters, the experience inspired the mountain landscapes in his Middle-earth writings.
`Only once before have I seen them from afar in waking life, but I know them and their names, for under them lies Khazad-dûm, the Dwarrowdelf, that is now called the Black Pit, Moria in the Elvish tongue. Yonder stands Barazinbar, the Redhorn, cruel Caradhras; and beyond him are Silvertine and Cloudyhead: Celebdil the White, and Fanuidhol the Grey, that we call Zirak-zigil and Bundushathûr.
Gimli, The Lord of the Rings.
We’ve previously profiled the Swiss Alps around Interlaken on a couple of occasions, however if you missed those posts previously, here’s another nice write-up courtesy of BBC travel.
Arwen Undomiel writes: On the 23th/24th of February 2008 there is the World Premiere of Howard Shore’s Original Soundtrack of ‘The Fellowship of the Rings’ – live in concert. It will take place in Luzern, Switzerland with the composer himself being present!! During the show, the film will be seen in its full length on a big screen. There will be 200 singers and musicians at the a three-hour performance. [