Halls of Mandos

This name was derived from two Elvish words that mean 'prison' and 'fortress'. These halls, which held the souls of the dead, grew larger as the World aged. Many tapestries, woven by Námo's spouse Vairë, hanged on these walls, depicting many events that unfolded in the history of Arda. The mighty Vala, Námo, often called Mandos, was named so after his own halls. They were also called the 'Halls of Waiting' by Mandos, or the Timeless Halls, though this was not to be confused with the Timeless Halls of Ilúvatar. Here, the souls of the Eruhini (Children of Ilúvatar) would wait, embracing their afterlife until they could return to their kin in Aman. Here the Elves underwent cleansing and self-reflection before being reincarnated into bodies similar to their previous life. [1]However, Elves who committed heinous sins or offended the Valar, such as Fëanáro Curufinwë, had to wait in these halls until the End of the World. The souls of the Edain (men) were judged by Mandos himself in a different hall before leaving Arda beyond the Circles of the World. Their fate was understood only by Manwë and Mandos. No one, including Morgoth, was allowed to escape from the Halls without Mandos' consent.​

In his books, Christopher Tolkien depicts these Halls on the edge of the Outer Sea as vast caverns in northern Aman. Primarily built by Aule for Vefántur and Nienna, the Mandos' halls were filled with gloom and echoes. These caverns were located far away from the beautiful residences of other Valar. They were inhabited by older spirits acquainted with Ilúvatar. [2]​