We are in Matamata, in the North of New Zealand, at the foot of the suggestive mountain range of the Kaimai Range. The picturesque village of Hobbiton is part of the Alexander farm, full of sheep grazing that now dominate the site of the film set built in 1999 for the shooting of the first film in the Tolkien saga: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.”
Some of the procedures that led to the creation of the evocative village are various and curious:
– 1.5 km of roads were built from scratch to create Hobbiville;
– The tree of Bilbo Baggins’ house was brought to the location cut into pieces and then reconstructed later, the hedges were also artificially planted and watered throughout the winter;
– The creation of the characteristic “green” of the village also involved the importation of artificial leaves from Taiwan;
– Almost all the houses are empty inside, only the “Green Dragon” tavern was recreated identical to the Wellington set where the indoor scenes were shot;
In the wonderful village, besides admiring the typical houses of Hobbiville, you can learn to shear sheep and carry out other small tasks with a rural “flavor,” thus rediscovering the sweet and pleasant atmosphere of the imaginary village of the Hobbits.
This small and wonderful “wonderland” is an example of how human imagination is able to shape and embellish, and therefore not just destroy, the most beautiful thing on earth: nature, simple and complex at the same time. Visiting this place means immersing yourself in the adventures starring Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Gandalf the Grey. An enchanting and fairy-tale place that will delight the little ones but at the same time awaken joyful feelings even in the adults.
