{{Infobox LOTR place |=Rivendell in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy|
place_name = ''Rivendell''|
place_alias = ''Imladris''<br/>''Karningul''</br>''Last Homely House East of the Sea''|
place_description= Refuge of the Elves|
place_built= Elrond|
place_type = Hidden Refuge|
place_realm = None|
place_sub_realm =|
place_time=|
place_lord = Elrond
}}

'''Rivendell''' (Elven outpost in Middle-earth, a fictional realm created by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was established and ruled by Elrond in the Second Age of Middle-earth (four or five thousand years before the events of ''The Lord of the Rings'').  In addition to Elrond and his family, notable Elves who lived there included Glorfindel and Erestor.

''Rivendell'' is a direct translation or calque of the Sindarin name '''Imladris''', both meaning "deep valley of the cleft".

==Etymology==
Rivendell is also called "''Imladris''" in Sindarin and "''Karningul''" in Westron. The name Rivendell is formed by two elements: "'''riven'''" and "'''dell'''" meaning ''split, cloven'' and ''valley'' respectively, making the whole word purport "deeply cloven valley". It is also referred to as ''The Last Homely House  of the West of the mountains'', alluding to the wilderland that lies beyond the Misty Mountains. 

==Geography==

Rivendell is located at the edge of a narrow gorge of the river ford of Bruinen), but well hidden in the moorlands and foothills of the Hithaeglir or the Misty Mountains.  

The climate is cool-temperate and semi-continental with moderately warm summers, fairly snowy — but not frigid — winters and moderate precipitation.  Seasons are more pronounced than in areas further west, such as the Shire, but less extreme than the places east of the Misty Mountains.

Rivendell was founded in Second Age 1697 when a force sent by Gil-galad from Lindon and led by Elrond rescued the refugees of Eregion from Sauron's army and was driven into the hills of Rhudaur. Sauron's forces subsequently laid siege to the refuge for three years until a relief army sent by Gil-galad attacked the besieging force in conjunction with the defenders and annihilated it. Rivendell was next attacked in the fourteenth century of the Third Age when the Armies of the Witch-king of Angmar attacked the refuge. After some years they were driven off when reinforcements were sent from Lothlórien.

In ''The Hobbit'', Bilbo Baggins stopped off at Rivendell with the dwarves on the way to the Lonely Mountain and also on the way back to the Shire with Gandalf. 

In ''There and Back Again''. Several other Elves, Dwarves and Men also arrived at Rivendell on separate errands; at the Council of Elrond they learned that all of their errands were related to the fate of the One Ring, and they should decide what to do about it. In the end, it was the Hobbits who influenced the decision.

Dans les œuvres de J.R.R. Tolkien, notamment ''Bilbo le Hobbit'' et ''Le Seigneur des Anneaux'', '''Fondcombe''', en anglais '''''Rivendell''''', et en Sindarin '''''Imladris''''', est un lieu de la Terre du Milieu. Fondcombe se situe dans une vallée encaissée aux pieds des Monts Brumeux, délimitée par les deux principaux torrents qui donnent naissance à la rivière ''Sonoronne'' ou ''Bruinen'' en Sindarin<ref>Pour situer Fondcombe, consulter une carte de l'Eriador, de l'Arnor ou des Monts Brumeux, et remonter la rivière Bruinen ou Sonoronne jusqu'aux montagnes ; la forteresse cachée se trouve entre les deux bras d'eau.</ref>.

Aragorn y est élevé durant sa jeunesse. C'est l'un des deux lieux où peut se situer sa rencontre avec Arwen Undomiel, fille d'Elrond, l'autre possibilité étant la Lórien (Tolkien est contradictoire dans ses récits sur ce point)<ref>''Le Seigneur des Anneaux'', de J.R.R. Tolkien ; Appendice A, I, 5, ainsi que l'Appendice B, réf. année 2980 du Troisième Âge.</ref>.

À la fin de la Guerre des Elfes et de Bilbon se rendit à deux reprises lors de sa quête à Frodon, au début de la Quête de l'Anneau<ref>''Op. cit.'', livres I et II.</ref>.

C'est à Fondcombe qu'eut lieu le Forêt Noire ; Frodon et Bilbon Sacquet ; les hommes Montagne du Destin, au cœur du Mordor, et qu'une Communauté serait formé pour accompagner Frodon, le Porteur de l'Anneau<ref>''Op. cit.'', livre II, chapitres 1, 2 et 3.</ref>.
La Communauté de l'Anneau partit quelques semaines plus tard en direction du Mordor.