In J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings, Rivendell is called Imladris in Sindarin. The name is generally translated as “Rivendell” or “deep valley cleft,” reflecting the settlement’s location in a steep valley east of the Misty Mountains.
Rivendell was founded by Elrond in the Second Age after the destruction of Eregion during Sauron’s war against the Elves. It became a refuge and a center of learning, preserving lore through the long history of Middle-earth. In The Hobbit, Bilbo and the dwarves stay there before crossing the mountains.
Imladris is the Sindarin name, while Rivendell is the English rendering used in Tolkien’s narrative. These are not two different places. Lothlórien, by contrast, is another Elven realm, and Minas Tirith is the chief city of Gondor.
The Council of Elrond, a pivotal meeting in The Lord of the Rings, takes place in Rivendell and helps determine the fate of the One Ring.