MINAS TIRITH
WHITE CITY / CITY OF KINGS
Tall ships and tall kings, three times three. What brought they out of the foundered land over the flowing sea? Seven stars and seven stones and one white tree.
Gondor was the most prominent kingdom of Men in Middle-earth, bordered by Rohan to the north, Harad to the south, the cape of Andrast and the Sea to the west, and Mordor to the east. Its first capital was Osgiliath, moved to Minas Tirith in TA 1640. The city of Minas Tirith remained the capital of Gondor for the rest of the Third Age and into years of the Fourth Age; other major fortresses included Dol Amroth in Belfalas and Osgiliath, which was a city on the Anduin.
Gondor was founded by the brothers Isildur and Anárion, exiles from Númenor. Gondor was an allied kingdom with Arnor, whose line of king chieftains came from Isildur, while the Line of the Kings of Gondor was from Anárion. Gondor was at the height of its power in its early years due to the ships and the military might that its armies possessed. However, continued attacks by allies of Sauron, civil war, and a devastating plague caused it to gradually decline over the course of the Third Age until Sauron’s final defeat and the crowning of Aragorn II Elessar. Following that time the power of Gondor once again expanded, until the former lands of Arnor were brought under the banner of the Reunited Kingdom.
ECOES OF GREATER TIMES
In all the different races different entities and different beings of the vast universe of Middle Earth, race of mankind should somehow be included. Whether it is the methods of Tolkien to judge the humankind or just to make readers feel included a part of the story, humans have a place in the storyline of the Lord of the rings. And at the 3rd era of the Middle Earth, this inclusion was the place called Gondor and the great White City of Minas Tirith.
So, from the first moment of Boromir answering the council of Elrond, we were foreshadowed about this majestic city of men called Minas Tirith. It is the city of the great men of Numenor was founded and said that it’ beauty was beyond anything which can be found in Middle Earth.
As the journey sets motion towards East, we are finally introduced with this city. From the first moment of setting eyes on Minas Tirith, it is almost impossible not to impressed from the site of this great city.
But as soon as you said foot inside of the city, you feel the broken nature of mankind in the faces of habitants of the city, in the houses, in the soldiers and in the city. Especially when reached to the highest level where the white tree of kings is, an unbearable feeling of longing arises as the sight of withered but one flowered tree. Setting foot to the Great Hall of Kings at the highest level of the city, you are beholding yourself against the mighty sight of great kings of Gondor and it is almost impossible not to feel nostalgic towards those great times of those great kings.
Cities which preceded Rome also adorn with marble and have seven of something.
ROME
SEVEN LEVELED CITY OF MINAS TIRITH
ROMENNA OF NUMENOR ( rome drives its name from here)
SEVEN GATED CITY OF GONDOLİN
As grand as we know of Rome Tolkien would argue that its beauty was nothing compared to Mınas Tirith during the reign of King Elessar during the third age.
REFERENCES
- One wiki to rule them all, (?), Gondor, Retrieved from https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Gondor
Mae govannen mellon! 