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As they went south the fume of Rauros rose and shimmered before them, a haze of gold. The rush and thunder of the falls shook the windless air.
- The Two Towers (Book Two), Chapter 1
Past the Argonath the water of Nen Hithoel rushes between the three peaks of Amon Hen, Amon Lhaw, and Tol Brandir and tumbles down into the Anduin below. In days gone by, the Kings of Gondor had built the North Stair to allow for traversal past the Falls. After his death, the body of Boromir is floated over the Falls, towards Gondor.
The Falls of Rauros, a striking natural feature within Middle-earth, are situated along the River Anduin, marking the northern border of Gondor. Positioned at the eastern end of Nen Hithoel, above the lake’s inflow from the Anduin, the falls delineate a critical juncture between the wilds, untamed lands to the north and the more structured, governed regions to the south.
The region immediately surrounding the Falls of Rauros is technically under the sovereignty of Gondor, though the actual control and influence might wane depending on the period and the political stability of Gondor. The falls themselves are near significant historical and strategic locations like Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw, which are part of the ancient realm established by Gondor to watch over and protect the northern territories against incursions from the east and the north.
Throughout the Third Age, the influence of Gondor in this region varies, with the falls lying close to contested and often perilous areas, making them a boundary between the relative security of Gondor and the wilder parts of Middle-earth.
The Fellowship of the Ring (Book 2)
The Two Towers (Book 3)
The Return of the King (Book 6)
