Minas Tirith History

Minas Anor, as it was originally called "Tower of the Setting Sun", was built to guard Gondor from the wild men of the Ered Nimrais "White Mountains". It served many purposes over the years, originally simply an outpost, it later became the king's summer residence, and finally as Minas Ithil became unsafe, the capital city. The name was changed to Minas Tirith "Tower of Guard" by the last king Earnur in around 2002 TA. The city was called "Mundburg" by the Rohirrim.

The White Tower was built by King Kalimehtar in 1900 TA
and was later rebuilt by 2698 TA by Steward Ecthelion I.

Minas Tirith Features

Mount Mindolluin was 700 feet tall, the White Tower about 300 feet tall. The city was about 3100 feet wide across the widest point.

The Old Guestbouse was on the first level on Rath Celerdain "Lampwrights Street" named for the rows of bright lamps that lined the road and were lit every night.

The Houses of Healing were in the sixth circle on the southern wall and faced east.

The main road wound from the Great Gates up all the levels passing through gates that alternated from southeast and northeast and passing through tunnels. The seventh and last gate could only be entered through an arched lamplit tunnel that ran due west to the Citadel.

The Citadel held Merethrond (the Great Hall of Feasts), the King's House, apartments, and other buildings around the Court of the Fountain. In the center was the Tower of Ecthelion.

The tower held storerooms and small dining areas for the Guard on the lower level, with smaller conference chambers around and above the Great Hall, and hidden under the highest point of the tower was the room of the Palantir.

The Houses of the Dead were on the fifth circle, and held the tombs of the Kings and Stewards reached by Rath Dinen "the Silent Street" - a walled pathway that went up to the entrance on the sixth circle Fen Hollen "the Closed Door".