Our picture of the day takes us to the Swiss village of Lauterbrunnen, where the Staubbach Falls shimmers in the distance beyond a quiet alpine valley. This is the landscape a young traveller, J.R.R. Tolkien, crossed during a hiking trip in 1911, long before he became the storyteller behind "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." Its soaring cliffs, silver waterfalls and crisp mountain air left a lasting impression and are believed to have inspired his vision of Rivendell, the elven refuge hidden deep in Middle-earth.
J.R.R. Tolkien Day
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Verdon Gorge, France
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Manatee in Crystal River, Florida, United States
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Scenic Mount Michener
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World Rhinoceros Day
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Bridging past and present
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The last living fort in India
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Blue hour in Trondheim, Norway
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Banff, Alberta, Canada
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World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
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The Riviera of India
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Sport where you least expect it
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Mangrove islands near Kundapura, Karnataka
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Banggai cardinalfish with sea anemone
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Lyngvig Lighthouse, Hvide Sande, Denmark
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Rocky Mountain runoff
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Aerial view of Venice, Italy
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Death Valley National Park, California, United States
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Colosseum, Rome, Italy
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Sea lion in a kelp forest, Baja California, Mexico
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A modern recreation
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Bardenas Reales Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park, Navarra, Spain
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The worlds most exclusive beach?
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Kirkjufell, Iceland
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Mam Tor, Derbyshire, England
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Black sands in a tropical paradise
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Maya site of Copán
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Masai giraffe mother grooming her calf in the Serengeti, Tanzania
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Black bear cub emerges into spring
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The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
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Petroglyphs near Fruita in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

