The Hobbit Village from “Lord of the Rings”
It’s arguably one of the most iconic movie settings of all time: the Shire of the Bard, home to the Hobbits from the Lord of the Rings films. Gentle green hills and romantic earthen houses are not created on the computer, but they do exist. Located near the small New Zealand city of Matamata, it is now one of the biggest tourist attractions in New Zealand.
When the Lord of the Rings trilogy hit cinemas in the early 2000s, the films made New Zealand and, above all, its overwhelmingly beautiful nature famous almost overnight worldwide. Homegrown filmmaker Peter Jackson captured what was long thought to be the uncapable in images such that they have become etched in the collective memory of film lovers the world over. One place in particular on New Zealand’s North Island has become world-famous since then: Matamata, the “real” village of hobbits and shires.
This refers to the home of Frodo Baggins and his hobbit friends who play the main roles in the films. Jackson imagined her home to be particularly romantic: deep green rolling hills, little houses dug into the earth, just an idyllic setting, far from the big world and all evil. The first scenes of “The Lord of the Rings” take place here and instantly transport the viewer into a magical world that couldn’t be more beautiful. A world that has been preserved for movie fans to this day. Because Matamata became so popular that the New Zealand village called itself “Hobbiton” – the home of the hobbits.
Where is the Hobbit Village from The Lord of the Rings located in New Zealand?
Beautiful countryside is 2 hours’ drive from Auckland. According to the The official website for tourism in New Zealand There are a total of 44 beloved hobbit homes in Matamata – including, of course, “Bag End,” the home of Bilbo Baggins. He finds a magic ring in The Hobbti, a prequel to The Lord of the Rings, and starts a whole chain of events that will change his homeland forever. Just as the success of the films changed the location of Matmata.
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According to the City official website Matamata was founded by a Maori chief around 1830, so it has indigenous origins. This was the beginning of its turbulent history, as the place was more or less leased to an Auckland businessman as part of a larger lease agreement in 1865. In total the man leased 22,600 hectares and planned to grow grain on a large scale. However, the climatic conditions proved to be very unstable, which is why he quickly turned to cattle and sheep farming.
The “real” Shire with 37 hobbit houses
Then in 1885 Matmata was connected to the rail network, giving the previously small town a proper growth spurt. Today nearly 9,000 people live here, and of course the place benefits above all from the constant enthusiasm for the “Lord of the Rings” films. Fans can discover the “real” Shire as created by Director Jackson from author J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. According to the The official site of the place This success story began in 1998. At that time, Jackson and his crew were looking for a suitable location to capture the house of the hobbit on a picturesque canvas. And they finally found him in Matmata.
They spotted rolling green hills during an overpass and began to catch sight of Jackson’s view of the Shire as early as March 1999. The location was convenient, among other things, because there were no power poles or other buildings here. The New Zealand Army helped set up the film set, and soon there were 39 romantic hobbit homes on nearly five hectares. In December of the same year, a three-month shooting began, which is supposed to immortalize the setting.
It almost didn’t happen: after the end of filming, part of the scene was demolished again. Fortunately not all, and so in 2002 the first tours through the Hobbit movie house began. The version that still delights viewers today was created during the filming of the “Hobbit” trilogy, a prequel to the “Lord of the Rings” movie. Movie fans can explore the “real” Shire on a two-hour tour of Matamata, including a stop at the legendary pub, the Green Dragon.
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This is how much it costs to take a tour of Hobbiton Village in Hobbiton
Not surprisingly, according to operators, tours are always in high demand, which is why advance online booking is recommended. You can only enter the shooting location with a guided tour. Besides the standard guided tour, tourists also have the option to book visits with a meal at an additional cost. However, visiting Hobbiton isn’t cheap: a standard package with a two-hour tour currently costs around €53. Of course, you pay more for each additional amount.
If you want to get to know the hobbit house in a different way, you can take part in a half marathon here. The next time this will happen will be March 25, 2023.
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