Way of Escape

For most of the history of the Hidden City of Gondolin, a way was left open for its people to leave and return. Long before Gondolin was made, the circle of mountains that surrounded it had contained a lake, whose waters drained through a river in the southwest. By the time of the building of the city, the lake and river had long disappeared, but the course of the Dry River provided a Hidden Way through the mountains.

Through a concealed entrance in the mountainside, where the Dry River had once run out, a traveller would enter the dark tunnel of the Hidden Way that led through the depths beneath the mountains. Eventually they would reach the Dark Gate, the First of the Seven Gates of Gondolin. Those who the Dark Guard permitted to pass would carry on into the Orfalch Echor, the long ravine through the Encircling Mountains that led through the remaining Gates to the plain of Tumladen and the city of Gondolin itself.

Gondolin's King, Turgon, marched his people to war in I 472, to fight alongside their fellow Elves in the battle that came to be known as the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. That battle was a disaster for the Elves and their allies, but Turgon and his people were able to escape in secret and make their way back to their Hidden City. After this time, fearing the power of Morgoth, Turgon caused even the Way of Escape to be blocked, so that none could ever leave or enter his city again, and its secret would remain inviolable.

The decision to destroy the Way of Escape proved to be a terrible error. Through treachery, Morgoth learned of Gondolin's location, and sent his forces against the city, and its people were now unable to flee through the Hidden Way. Turgon's daughter Idril had greater foresight than her father, and had secretly prepared her own way of escape: a tunnel that led down from the city and out into the northern plain. Thus she, with her husband Tuor, her young son Eärendil and others of their people, were able to flee the fallen city and escape through the mountains, coming eventually to safety at the Mouths of Sirion.