Minas Tirith

Minas Tirith was the capital of Gondor in the Third Age and the Fourth Age of Middle-earth. Originally known as Minas Anor (the “Tower of the Sun”), it replaced the city (later ruined city and stockade of Gondor) Osgiliath as the new capital of Gondor. When the Enemy began to take shape again, Minas Anor was renamed Minas Tirith, the “Tower of Guard”. The city was also called The White City, as the courtyard in the front of the city’s Citadel contained the White Tree, and also known as the “City of Kings” because of its connection with the kings and stewards of Gondor (they ruled the kingdom of Gondor from the Citadel of the city). Many important events took place in and in front of the city, such as the coronation of King Elessar, the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and the healing of Meriadoc Brandybuck and Éowyn by Aragorn after they had been poisoned after stabbing, and subsequently killing, the Witch-king.

Layout

Minas Tirith was surrounded by the Rammas Echor, a large ringwall encircling the city and the Pelennor Fields. This wall was built after Minas Ithil fell and was renamed Minas Morgul. It was repaired by Ecthelion II during the time of the War of the Ring, but it had not the strength to defend the city from the Dark Lord Sauron’s legions of orcs from Mordor led by the Witch-king of Angmar. The city itself lay on a hill beneath Mount Mindolluin, which rose above the city’s citadel, by a length of a couple of thousand feet (Mount Mindolluin was where Aragorn found the seedling of the White Tree, aided by Gandalf). The city was divided into seven one-hundred-foot high levels, each surrounded by white walls. The gates connecting the levels did not lay behind one another in a line, but faced in different directions.

A spur of rock, whose summit was level with the city’s uppermost tier, jutted out from the front of the city in an easterly direction, dividing all but the first level into two. Each level was scattered with many alleys, narrow passageways, marketplaces, family shops and stores, and public living buildings, such as apartments and full-fledged houses (which were probably quite rare in the city). On the sixth level were located the Houses of Healing, surrounded by pleasant gardens. Finally, within the seventh wall, was the Citadel of Minas Tirith, with its White Tower – three hundred feet high, so that its apex was one thousand feet above the plain. Upon the saddle between the city and Mindolluin were the Houses of the Dead – a tomb for the Kings of Gondor and their Stewards.

Defensive Structures

The walls of the city were defended by a battery of 100 trebuchets. These played a significant role in the siege shown in the movie, as they were responsible for destroying and/or killing many Orcs, Trolls, siege towers, and catapults. Sadly, a number of them were smashed to bits by the fell beasts of the Nazgûl, but all were repaired in the end. Gondorian soldiers stood beside the trebuchets on the walls in case the Enemy tried to assail the city using their hideous siege towers, driven by the effort of Trolls. Gondorian archers also waited on top of the walls and gates of the city, firing at any Orc or Troll within their range. Soldiers silently waited behind each wall of the city in case the Enemy broke through one of the walls.

History

Minas Tirith (as Minas Anor) was in built in SA 3320 by Anárion, brother of Isildur, second son of Elendil, and a High King of Arnor. King Ostoher rebuilt the city in TA 420, and, gradually, it became more important than Osgiliath, the original capital, which in later years fell into ruin. King Tarondor finally moved the King’s House to the city in TA 1640, thereby making it the official capital of the kingdom of Gondor. In the year TA 2002, the White City’s companion tower Minas Ithil (the “Tower of the Moon”) on the borders of Mordor was captured by the Ringwraiths and renamed Minas Morgul (the “Tower of Sorcery”). Minas Anor was then renamed Minas Tirith, meaning the “Tower of Guard”, to indicate that, since the fall of Minas Ithil, Minas Tirith was the only thing that guarded Gondor and all the other lands around and behind it against the horrifying evil from Mordor.

During the War of the Ring (Third Age 3018 – 3019), Minas Tirith is said to “have less than half of the population which could have dwelt at ease” in it. The city was subsequently falling into ruin, and, combined with the growing power of the Dark Lord not too far to the east, resulted in the low population of the city. It appeared to Aragorn a city that had lost its luster, which had resulted in many things once beautiful that now were old and crumbling.

In The Return of the King, Minas Tirith was besieged by the troops of Mordor, including the Easterlings and the Haradrim, under the Great Darkness generated by Mordor’s foul geothermic vents, or by Sauron’s power. The Battle of the Pelennor Fields took place on 15 March, 3019 in the fields surrounding the city. It was one of the most horrific battles of the whole War of the Ring. There, on that field, both the king of Rohan, Theoden, and the Witch-king of Angmar were slain. It was also there that King Elessar (Aragorn) arrived at the hour of Minas Tirith’s need and therefore saved the city. Despite their heavy losses, the battle was finally won by the forces of good. After the battle, the stench of death was heavy in Minas Tirith’s air, and the Pelennor Fields lay strewn with bodies.

On 1 May 3019, the crowning of King Elessar took place on the plain outside Minas Tirith. After his coronation, he entered the city as the King of Gondor, as he was destined to become from the start of his lifetime. With his coronation, King Elessar refounded the line of the Kings of Gondor. His coronation also signaled the passing of the torch of dominion of Middle-earth from the elves to men.

Minas Tirith was repaired by its new king (who grew plants inside of its walls to add to its luster and beauty) and by the Dwarves of Aglarond, who built a new gate for the city (made of mithril and steel) and altogether fixed the layout of the city as well. The city is known to have stood firm and strong well into the Fourth Age because of these two renovations.