Gandalf and Tolkien Streets opened in Warsaw district nicknamed “Mordor”

Two intersecting streets in Warsaw have been named after fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien and one of his most famous creations, Gandalf the wizard. The decision was made at the suggestion of residents, who wanted to reflect the nickname of “Mordor” given to that part of the Polish capital.

Municipal authorities had initially planned different names for the new roads – Pirytowa and Tytanowa – but changed them to Tolkien Street and Gandalf Street after public consultations, reported the Gazeta Wyborcza daily.

The city unveiled the new names with an image featuring the figure of Gandalf and the famous ring from Tolkien’s epic The Lord of the Rings.

The area in which the streets are located is a former industrial district that has been transformed into one of Warsaw’s main business zones, with large numbers of office blocks hosting many international corporations.

During that transformation, the area began to be informally named “Mordor” by Varsovians, in reference to the realm of Tokien’s fictional Middle-earth that is home to the evil figure of Sauron.

There are differing theories as to why exactly the nickname arose, but is generally seen to relate to the way in which the area has become crammed with similar-looking office blocks, filled with traffic, and infused with a workaholic corporate culture.

“This part of the city has been occupied by young office workers, who are similarly dressed, often in dark colours…associated with the dark land of evil,” Adam Tecław, described as a “varsovianist”, told broadcaster TVP. However, on a popular Mordor-related Facebook page many users disputed that interpretation.

Speaking to local news service Nasze Miasto, local resident Kasia praised the decision to honour the area’s unofficial name with the new streets.

“Someone, somewhere, is listening to what is said about Warsaw and doesn’t try to negate it, but rather to appreciate it in a humorous way,” she said. “Plus, Tolkien was actually a linguist, so it’s doubly nice.”

“I believe that the way the name ‘Mordor’ entered the geography of Warsaw is a beautiful example of grassroots, folk naming,” said another resident, Adam. “It’s nice that the city recognised this bottom-up name.”

However, one local city councillor, Filip Frąckowiak of Law and Justice (PiS), jokingly suggested that, given the area is called Mordor, it would have been more appropriate to name the street after Sauron than Gandalf.

“An evil sorcerer would be better suited there,” agreed another councillor, Joanna Staniszkis of Civic Coalition (KO) in a rare show of agreement between Poland’s two largest political parties, which are normally in bitter opposition to one another.

Main image credit: Go to Warsaw/Facebook

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.