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Dates
Founded as Minas Anor II 3320;1 renamed Minas Tirith c. III 2002; still standing well into the Fourth Age (the last recorded reference is in IV 172)
Location
Beneath Mount Mindolluin in Anórien, on the western banks of the Anduin in Gondor
Origins
Built by Elendil and his sons
Race
Men
Division
Dúnedain
Culture
Gondorians
Family
Originally ruled by Kings of the House of Anárion, and latterly by Stewards of the House of Húrin
Important peaks
Built on the hill later called Amon Tirith beneath Mount Mindolluin
Pronunciation
Gondor is pronounced 'go'ndorr' (the final 'r' should be pronounced - 'rr' is used here to emphasise this)
Meaning
Gondor means 'land of (the people of) stone'
Other names
City of the Kings, Minas Anor, Minas Tirith, Mundburg, Stone-city, Tower of Guard, Tower of the Setting Sun, Tower of the Sun

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About this entry:

  • Updated 3 December 2021
  • This entry is complete

City of Gondor

Minas Tirith beneath Mindolluin

Map of the City of Gondor

A name given, at least at the time of the War of the Ring, to Minas Tirith, Gondor's great fortified city that stood at the eastern extent of the White Mountains. In fact, at the time of the country's founding, Gondor's chief city had been Osgiliath, some miles east and north of Minas Tirith, but this ancient city did not survive through the Third Age. King Tarondor abandoned Osgiliath for Minas Anor in III 1640, and from that time on Minas Anor, later renamed Minas Tirith, was truly the City of Gondor.


Notes

1

In accounts of the War of the Ring, the term 'City of Gondor' always refers to Minas Tirith, which at that time had been the realm's ruling city for many centuries. This had not always been the case, and during the early years of South-kingdom, the 'City of Gondor' (assuming the term was used at all, at least in its later sense) would have been its old capital of Osgiliath on Anduin. Minas Anor began to be used as a royal residence by Ostoher the seventh King of Gondor, but it was not until the time of Tarondor (the twenty-seventh King, who ruled III 1636 - III 1798) that it became the permanent chief City of Gondor.

See also...

Captain of the Dúnedain of Arnor, City Gate, City of the Men of Gondor, Dead City, Dead Tree, Dervorin, East Anórien, Fell Riders, Forlong, Gate of Gondor, Green Hills, Hallas, Lord of the City, Morgul-host, Old Guesthouse, [See the full list...]

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 3 December 2021
  • This entry is complete

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