The city was built inside the Forest of Lothlórien, near the point where the rivers Celebrant and Anduin met, close to the eastern border of the realm. Although its position at the end of the Egladil ("The Angle", name given to the lands between the two rivers and location of the forest) and consequently near the Anduin favoured communication through Middle-earth, it made the city more vulnerable to attacks from Dol Guldur, a Fortress of Sauron to the east of Caras Galadhon, something which eventually happened during the War of the Ring. It is thought that the city was constructed to prevent such an event.

Architecture

As every space available had to be used to create the residence of the Elves, the city was constructed inside and around the surrounding trees which gave it its common name. To help navigation inside the city, several stairs were made around the main tree which was lit by green flames during the night. There were also constructed talans, tree-platforms built in close proximity to the stairs and the trees. These structures created horizontal surfaces which could be used for shelter and to guard the city from intruders. There were no entrance doors to the city which faced North and the Fellowship had to be guided through a white road, which surrounded the city and its moat, to the southern part of Caras Galadhon, where its entrance was found. Other interesting places inside the city were Caras Galadhon's fountain, the Palace of the Galadriel and Celeborn and the Mirror of Galadriel, which Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee looked at during their one-month stay in Caras Galadhon .