The Grey Havens, known also as Mithlond, was an Elvish port city on the Gulf of Lune in the Elven realm of Lindon in Middle-earth.

Description Edit

Because of its cultural and spiritual importance to the Elves, the Grey Havens in time became the primary Elven settlement west of the Misty Mountains prior to the establishment of Eregion and, later, Rivendell. Even after the death of Gil-galad and as the Elves dwindled in numbers by the year, the Grey Havens remained a focal point of the history in the northern part of Middle-earth.

Despite being a major port, the Grey Havens had sparse population, like Rivendell and northeastern Mirkwood.[2]

History Edit

Second Age Edit

The Grey Havens was founded at the beginning of the Second Age by the surviving Elves of the realm of Beleriand, those who chose to remain on Middle-earth after the wars against Morgoth.

It was frequently visited from the west by the Númenoreans. On SA 1700, Tar-Minastir sent great fleets from Númenor to the Havens in assistance in the war against Sauron.[3]

It was also one of the main sources for the Elven fleet of ships that sailed back and forth between Middle Earth and Eldamar in Aman.

Third Age Edit

In TA 1000, the Istari arrived in Middle-earth, and it was here where Círdan gave Narya, the Elven Ring of Fire, to Gandalf.[4]


Sketch of the Grey Havens by Alan Lee, from The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook

During the War of the Ring, Galdor of the Havens was among the members of the Council of Elrond.[5]

After the defeat of Sauron and the coronation of Aragorn II Elessar, Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond left for Valinor from the Grey Havens. The Ring-bearers Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins accompanied them to Valinor.[6] Years later, Samwise Gamgee did likewise, himself being a Ring-bearer (although briefly).[7]

Fate Edit


Etymology Edit

Mithlond means "Grey Haven(s)", from the Sindarin mith ("grey") and lond ("haven, harbour").[8]

Portrayal in adaptations Edit

Film Edit

In the film adaptation of The Return of the King, the Grey Havens makes an appearance in the last major scene. The port city is built on a large natural bay, and its design is quite different to that of Rivendell and Lothlorien, but it is still recognisably Elvish. Gandalf, Frodo, Bilbo, and the other hobbits arrive at the city and encounter the high elves. Elrond, Celeborn, and Galadriel bid farewell to them and board the last ship. As Bilbo joins Elrond, Gandalf and Frodo then say their goodbyes to the remaining hobbits. The two of them board the ship and depart from Middle-Earth, returning to the Undying Lands.

The Elvish city

Video games Edit

Grey Havens 01

Translations around the world Edit

Foreign Language Translated name
Afrikaans Grys Hawens
Albanian Strehë Gri
Arabic رمادي الملاذات
Armenian Գրեյ Հավենս
Basque Gris Paradisuetan
Belarusian Cyrillic Шэрыя Гавані
Bengali ধূসর স্বর্গ ?
Bosnian Siva Rajevima
Bulgarian Cyrillic Сивите убежища
Cambodian ជម្រកប្រផេះ
Catalan Rades Grises
Chinese (Mainland) 灰港
Chinese (Taiwan) 灰港岸
Chinese (Hong Kong) 灰海岸
Cornish Harbers Glas ?
Croatian Siva Utočišta
Czech Šedé Přístavy
Danish Gråhavne
Dutch De Grijze Havens
Esperanto Grizaj Havenoj
Estonian Hallid Sadamad
Filipino Abong Kanlungan
Finnish Harmaat Satamat
French Les Havres Gris
Galician Portos Grises
Georgian ნაცრისფერი თავშესაფრები
German Die Grauen Anfurten
Greek Γκρι Λιμάνια
Gujarati ગ્રેય હ વેન્સ
Haitian Creole Refij Gri ?
Hawaiian Oho Naawamaikai
Hebrew הנמלים האפורים
Hindi ग्रे वाले देश
Hungarian Szürkerév
Icelandic Grá Griðastaðir
Irish Gaelic Tearmainn Liath
Italian Porti Grigi
Japanese グレーヘブンス
Kannada ಗ್ರೇ ಹ್ಯಾವೆನ್ಸ್
Kazakh Сұр баспана (Cyrillic) Sur baspana (Latin)
Korean 회색 항구
Kurdish Behiştên Gewr (Kurmanji Kurdish)
Kyrgyz Cyrillic Грэй Hавэнс
Latvian Pelēks Paradīzes
Lithuanian Pilka Rojus
Luxembourgish Groen Steieroasen
Macedonian Cyrillic Греy Хавенс
Maltese Rifuġji Griż
Maori Hina Kokoru
Marathi राखाडी आश्रयस्थाने
Mongolian Cyrillic саарал хоргодох
Norwegian Gråhavnene
Occitan Barcarés Gris ?
Pashto خړ پټنځایونو
Persian خاکستری پناهگاه ?
Polish Szara Przystań
Portuguese Portos Cinzentos
Punjabi ਸਲੇਟੀ ਸਵਰਗ ?
Romanian Limanurile Cenușii
Russian Митлонд
Samoan Lanu efuefu Ava Matagofie
Scottish Gaelic Glas Chalaidhean
Serbian Греи Хавенс (Cyrillic) Grei Havens (Latin)
Shona Vachena Pakanaka
Sinhalese අලු ක්ෂේමභූමි
Slovak Šedé Prístavy
Slovenian Sivi Oaz
Somalian Meelo Cirro
Swedish Grå hamnarna
Tajik Cyrillic Греy Ҳавенс
Tamil சாம்பல் புகலிடங்களை
Telugu గ్రే హావెన్స్
Thai เฮเวนส์สีเทา
Turkish Gri Limanlar
Turkmen Çal Halas ?
Ukrainian Cyrillic сірі Гавані
Urdu گرے پناہ گاہیں
Uzbek Кулранг Бандаргоҳлар (Cyrillic) Kulrang Bandargohlar (Latin)
Vietnamese Nơi trú ẩn màu xám
Welsh Hafanau Llwyd
Yiddish גריי האַווענס
Yucatec Maya Gris le Paraísos
Places of Middle-earth and Arda

Middle-earth Locations:



Forests & Mountains:






The rest of Arda:

Númenor | Dark Land | Aman (Valinor) | Tol Eressëa

References Edit

  3. The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Second Age, "Voyages of the Númenóreans"