Minas Tirith (Tower of Guard) | |
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J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium location | |
Other name(s) |
Minas Anor (Tower of the Setting Sun) the White City City of Kings Mundburg (Rohirric) |
Type | Fortified city; capital of Gondor from T.A. 1640 onwards |
Ruler | Kings and Stewards of Gondor |
Notable locations | the Citadel, Great Gates, Pelennor Fields, Rath Dínen, Tower of Ecthelion, White Tree |
Location | Gondor's province of Anórien |
Lifespan | Built S.A. 3320 |
Founder | Anárion |
Minas Tirith (/ˈmɪnəs ˈtɪrɪθ/; Sindarin: /ˈminas ˈtiriθ/), originally named Minas Anor, is a fictional city and castle in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It became the heavily fortified capital of Gondor in the second half of the Third Age. It was originally built to guard the former capital, Osgiliath, from attack from the west, but became the capital when Osgiliath fell into ruin following the Kin-strife and the Great Plague. It is often referred to as the White City (though that name is not in the book) and the City of the Kings. The Rohirrim sometimes translated this into their own language as "the Mundburg". In the climax of The Lord of the Rings the city comes under a very large and determined attack by the allied forces of Mordor.
The name Minas Tirith means "The Tower of Guard" or "The Tower of Watch" in the Elvish language Sindarin. It was originally named Minas Anor, "The Tower of the Setting Sun", in connection with Minas Ithil, "The Tower of the Rising Moon". Minas Ithil was later conquered by orcs from Mordor and was renamed Minas Morgul, "The Tower of Black Sorcery".