Stunning Swiss village plans to charge visitors to experience 'Middle Earth'
A small Swiss village that claims it was the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's ‘The Lord of the Rings’ has sparked a row with its plans to charge visitors to enter.
Amidst the ongoing popularity of Peter Jackson's film adaptations and Amazon's 'Rings of Power', which have kept Tolkien’s tales of Middle Earth alive in the public imagination, Swiss media is reporting that Lauterbrunnen in the canton of Bern plans to charge visitors arriving by car a daily fee of between 5 and 10 CHF.
The move comes as part of efforts to reduce congestion in the small village, maintain its unique atmosphere and boost the local economy.
It echoes similar decisions by tourist hotspots such as Venice to control visitor numbers through a similar daily fee.
However, the fee is not without exceptions. Those arriving by public transport or staying in the town's hotels would be exempt.
Middle Earth’s Swiss origins in Lauterbrunnen
One does not simply walk into Mordor - but in 1911, a 19 year old Tolkien arrived in the small village, located in the valley of the same name and framed by famous peaks such as the Jungfrau and the Eiger.
Prior to his service in World War One, Tolkien spent a length of time in Europe studying language and history.
His wanderings, and the sights he encountered, shaped the fabric of Middle Earth.
Such was the impression Lauterbrunnen made upon him that he’d never forget it.
Writing to his son decades later, following worldwide acclaim for his tales of Middle Earth, he stated:
“I am delighted that you have made the acquaintance of Switzerland, and of the very part that I once knew best and which had the deepest effect on me.
“The hobbit’s journey from Rivendell to the other side of the Misty Mountains, including the glissade down the slithering stones into the pine woods, is based on my adventures in 1911.”
The village of Lauterbrunnen itself, seemingly built into the mountainside, and framed by waterfalls, is thought to be the chief inspiration for the Elvish city of Rivendell.
This is the location where plans were forged to destroy the 'One Ring' in the fires of Mount Doom.
The nearby Silberhorn mountain is also widely cited as to be Tolkien's reference point for Celebdil, the mountain where the wizard Gandalf fought the monstrous Balrog, a fiery demon with massive wings.
It comprises a critical location in the second book in the trilogy, ‘The Two Towers’ - and seemingly where the beloved wizard seemingly fell to his death.
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Amidst the ongoing popularity of Peter Jackson's film adaptations and Amazon's 'Rings of Power', which have kept Tolkien’s tales of Middle Earth alive in the public imagination, Swiss media is reporting that Lauterbrunnen in the canton of Bern plans to charge visitors arriving by car a daily fee of between 5 and 10 CHF.
The move comes as part of efforts to reduce congestion in the small village, maintain its unique atmosphere and boost the local economy.
It echoes similar decisions by tourist hotspots such as Venice to control visitor numbers through a similar daily fee.
However, the fee is not without exceptions. Those arriving by public transport or staying in the town's hotels would be exempt.
Middle Earth’s Swiss origins in Lauterbrunnen
One does not simply walk into Mordor - but in 1911, a 19 year old Tolkien arrived in the small village, located in the valley of the same name and framed by famous peaks such as the Jungfrau and the Eiger.
Prior to his service in World War One, Tolkien spent a length of time in Europe studying language and history.
His wanderings, and the sights he encountered, shaped the fabric of Middle Earth.
Such was the impression Lauterbrunnen made upon him that he’d never forget it.
Writing to his son decades later, following worldwide acclaim for his tales of Middle Earth, he stated:
“I am delighted that you have made the acquaintance of Switzerland, and of the very part that I once knew best and which had the deepest effect on me.
“The hobbit’s journey from Rivendell to the other side of the Misty Mountains, including the glissade down the slithering stones into the pine woods, is based on my adventures in 1911.”
The village of Lauterbrunnen itself, seemingly built into the mountainside, and framed by waterfalls, is thought to be the chief inspiration for the Elvish city of Rivendell.
This is the location where plans were forged to destroy the 'One Ring' in the fires of Mount Doom.
The nearby Silberhorn mountain is also widely cited as to be Tolkien's reference point for Celebdil, the mountain where the wizard Gandalf fought the monstrous Balrog, a fiery demon with massive wings.
It comprises a critical location in the second book in the trilogy, ‘The Two Towers’ - and seemingly where the beloved wizard seemingly fell to his death.
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