LEGO Rivendell vs Barad-dûr vs The Shire vs Minas Tirith
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LEGO now has four large Lord of the Rings display sets. Rivendell has the most minifigures and is expected to leave LEGO's range first, on December 31, 2026. Barad-dûr has the lit Eye of Sauron, The Shire is the smallest and least expensive, and Minas Tirith, new in June 2026, is the largest. Here is what each one includes and which to buy first.
LEGO's large Lord of the Rings sets now number four: Rivendell, Barad-dûr, The Shire and, since June 1, 2026, Minas Tirith. If you want Rivendell, buy it first, because it has the most minifigures and is the one expected to leave LEGO's range this year, on December 31, 2026. After that, choose by place and space: Barad-dûr for a dark tower with a lit Eye of Sauron, The Shire for the smallest and least expensive build, and Minas Tirith for the largest centrepiece.
The four sets at a glance
| Set | Released | Minifigures | Signature feature | Expected exit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivendell (10316) | March 2023 | 15 | Council of Elrond, three separable sections | December 31, 2026 |
| Barad-dûr (10333) | June 2024 | 10 | Automated Black Gate, illuminated Eye of Sauron | End of 2027 |
| The Shire (10354) | April 2025 | 9 characters | Bag End and Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday | End of 2028 |
| Minas Tirith (11377) | June 2026 | 10, plus Shadowfax | Hybrid scale: microscale city, minifigure-scale rooms | End of 2028 |
All four are marked 18+. Prices and piece counts are on the cards below and come from our catalog when this page loads.
Rivendell (10316): the most characters, leaving first
Rivendell: the valley where the quest began, with an elven forge, Elrond's study, Frodo's bedroom and the Shards of Narsil. 15 minifigures, and our catalog expects it to leave LEGO's range on December 31, 2026.
Rivendell is the set for anyone who wants the Fellowship on the shelf: its 15 minifigures include Frodo, Sam, Bilbo, Boromir, Gimli, Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf the Grey, with detachable legs so they can sit at the Council of Elrond. LEGO built it in three sections that can be displayed apart, and the Council of Elrond lifts off the main model. Plan for its footprint: LEGO gives it as about 75 cm (29.5 in) wide and 50 cm (19.5 in) deep. It is the oldest of the four and the only one expected to go this year.
Barad-dûr (10333): the tower
Barad-dûr: Sauron's fortress with an automated Black Gate and an Eye of Sauron that lights up, built in four modular sections with 10 minifigures.
Barad-dûr is the dramatic one. LEGO lists its two functions plainly: the Black Gate is automated and the Eye of Sauron illuminates. The tower is built in four modular sections, each with an interior: Gollum's hideout, a weapons forge and a prison with a raisable Orc cage at ground level, a dining area, a throne room that opens to reveal a hidden map, Mouth of Sauron's study and a tower library with a rotating ladder. Its 10 minifigures include Sauron, Mouth of Sauron, Gothmog, Frodo, Sam and Gollum. It needs height more than width, so it suits a corner or a tall cabinet.
The Shire (10354): the friendliest entry
The Shire: Bag End and Bilbo Baggins' eleventy-first birthday party, with 9 film characters and play functions such as the burning letter that turns into the One Ring.
The Shire is the smallest and least expensive of the four, a diorama of Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party. The hillside hobbit hole has the round door and a furnished interior with an entrance hall, study and parlour, and two functions bring the story in: a burning letter that turns into the One Ring, and a dial that makes Bilbo vanish. Its 9 characters are Bilbo, Frodo, Samwise, Merry, Pippin, Rosie, Gandalf the Grey, Farmer Proudfoot and Mrs. Proudfoot. It is the easiest of the four to fit on an ordinary shelf.
Minas Tirith (11377): the largest, new for 2026
Minas Tirith: the White City as a hybrid-scale model, a microscale exterior over minifigure-scale rooms including the citadel's throne room. 10 minifigures and Shadowfax. Released June 1, 2026.
Minas Tirith is the newest and the biggest. Instead of building the whole city at minifigure scale, LEGO combined a microscale exterior of the White City with minifigure-scale interiors, including the throne room of the citadel. The 10 minifigures are Gandalf the White, Faramir, Denethor, Pippin, Aragorn as King Elessar, Arwen and four Soldiers of Gondor, and Shadowfax comes as a horse figure. With an expected exit at the end of 2028, there is no hurry; it is the centrepiece for a collector who wants one large statement build.
Smaller Lord of the Rings sets
Two smaller display sets suit a fan without the room or budget for the big four:
The Balrog Book Nook: the Bridge of Khazad-dûm as a book nook that slots between the books on a shelf.
Sauron's Helmet: a 2026 display helmet, the smallest way to put Middle-earth on a desk.
Which should you buy?
- You want the Fellowship: Rivendell, and this year, before its expected exit on December 31, 2026.
- You want drama and a light: Barad-dûr.
- You have one shelf and a smaller budget: The Shire.
- You want the single biggest Lord of the Rings build: Minas Tirith.
- You want to collect them all: buy in exit-date order, Rivendell first, then Barad-dûr, then The Shire and Minas Tirith.
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