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{{location
{{location infobox
| name=Tirion
| image=[[File:Thomas Rouillard - Tuna.jpg|250px]]
| image=[[File:Thomas Rouillard - Tuna.jpg|250px]]
| name=Tirion
| caption="Tuna" by [[:Category:Images by Thomas Rouillard|Thomas Rouillard]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Tirion upon Túna, Tirion the Fair
| location=[[Aman]]; in [[Calacirya]], on the hill of [[Túna]]
| type=City
| type=City
| location=near [[Calacirya]], on the hill of [[Túna]]
| inhabitants=[[Noldor]]
| realms=[[Aman]]
| description=White houses and walls
| description=White houses and walls
| othernames=Tirion upon Túna, Kôr (early version)
| regions=
| etymology=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Noldor]], previously also the [[Vanyar]]
| created=From {{YT|1133}}<ref>{{AA|67}}</ref> to {{YT|1140}}<ref>{{AA|68}}</ref>
| destroyed=
| events=
| events=
| references=[[The Silmarillion]]
}}
}}
'''Tirion upon Túna''' was the city of the [[Noldor]] in [[Valinor]]. It was here that [[Finwë]] ruled as King of the Noldor, and where his children [[Fëanor]], [[Findis]], [[Fingolfin]], [[Írimë]] and [[Finarfin]] lived.
'''Tirion''' was the city of the [[Eldar]] in [[Eldamar]]. It was here that [[Ingwë]] and later [[Finwë]] ruled.


==Description==
==Description==
The green hill of [[Túna]] was located in the steep-walled valley of [[Calacirya]] ("The Cleft of Light" in [[Quenya]]), the only pass through the mountains of the [[Pelóri]]. Upon the crown of the hill the [[Elves]] raised their largest settlement west of the sea, Tirion.  
The green hill of [[Túna]] was located in the steep-walled valley of [[Calacirya]] ("The Cleft of Light" in [[Quenya]]), the only pass through the mountains of the [[Pelóri]]. Upon the crown of the hill the [[Elves]] raised their largest settlement west of the sea, Tirion.


The walls and terraces were white, and the sand in the streets was said to be of grains of diamond, and white crystal stairs climbed from the fertile land beneath to the great gates.
The walls and terraces were white, and the sand in the streets was said to be of grains of diamond, and white crystal stairs climbed from the fertile land beneath to the great gates.


The center of the city was dominated by the High King of all Elves [[Ingwë]]'s tower [[Mindon Eldaliéva]], whose silver lantern shone far out to sea. Beneath the tower was the house of Finwë, first King of the Noldor. Here also was the [[Great Square]], where the white tree [[Galathilion]] flourished, and later the site of [[Fëanor]]'s infamous [[Oath of Fëanor|oath]].
The centre of the city was dominated by the High King of all Elves [[Ingwë]]'s tower [[Mindon Eldaliéva]], whose silver lantern shone far out to sea. Beneath the tower was the house of Finwë, first King of the Noldor. Here also was the [[Great Square]], where the white tree [[Galathilion]] flourished, and later the site of [[Fëanor]]'s infamous [[Oath of Fëanor|oath]].
== History ==
 
==History==
When the city was built, it was occupied by both the [[Vanyar]] and the [[Noldor]], and was ruled by Ingwë. When most of the Vanyar resettled to the base of [[Mount Taniquetil]], the rule of Tirion was given to Finwë. Many years of bliss followed, until Tirion was shaken by the King's eldest son, Fëanor who was banished from Tirion, and was exiled (with many Noldor) to [[Formenos]].<ref>{{S|Unrest}}</ref>
When the city was built, it was occupied by both the [[Vanyar]] and the [[Noldor]], and was ruled by Ingwë. When most of the Vanyar resettled to the base of [[Mount Taniquetil]], the rule of Tirion was given to Finwë. Many years of bliss followed, until Tirion was shaken by the King's eldest son, Fëanor who was banished from Tirion, and was exiled (with many Noldor) to [[Formenos]].<ref>{{S|Unrest}}</ref>


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==Etymology==
==Etymology==
In [[Quenya]], ''[[tirion (Quenya)|tirion]]'' means "watch-tower, tower", deriving from root [[TIR]].<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, p. 394</ref>
In [[Quenya]], ''[[tirion (Quenya)|tirion]]'' means "watch-tower, tower", deriving from root [[TIR]].<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, p. 394</ref>
 
==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the early versions of the [[Legendarium]] the city was called '''Kôr'''.<ref>{{HM|LT1}}; {{HM|LT2}}</ref>
In the early [[legendarium]] of the ''[[Book of Lost Tales]]'', the city was called '''[[Kortirion]]'''.


==In other stories==
==In other stories==
Tirion is referenced in Tolkien's ''[[Roverandom]]''. In the story, written down in [[1927]], the great whale [[Uin]] takes the enchanted dog [[Rover|Roverandom]] (formerly known as Rover) on adventures through the seas: Uin takes Roverandom through the [[Shadowy Seas]] to the [[Bay of Eldamar|Bay of Fairyland]] beyond the [[Enchanted Isles|Magic Isles]] where Rover saw the [[Pelóri|Mountains of Elvenhome]] and the light of Faery. Roverandom thought he could see the white glint of a city of Elves on a green hill far away in the distance.<ref name="Roverandom">{{HM|R}}, pp. 73-4</ref>
Tirion is referenced in Tolkien's ''[[Roverandom]]''. In the story, written down in [[1927]], the great whale [[Uin]] takes the enchanted dog [[Rover|Roverandom]] (formerly known as Rover) on adventures through the seas: Uin takes Roverandom through the [[Shadowy Seas]] to the [[Bay of Eldamar|Bay of Fairyland]] beyond the [[Enchanted Isles|Magic Isles]] where Rover saw the [[Pelóri|Mountains of Elvenhome]] and the [[Light of Valinor|light of Faery]]. Roverandom thought he could see the white glint of a city of Elves on a green hill far away in the distance.<ref name="Roverandom">{{HM|R}}, pp. 73-4</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 18:45, 19 June 2020

Tirion
City
Thomas Rouillard - Tuna.jpg
"Tuna" by Thomas Rouillard
General Information
Other namesTirion upon Túna, Tirion the Fair
LocationAman; in Calacirya, on the hill of Túna
TypeCity
DescriptionWhite houses and walls
People and History
InhabitantsNoldor, previously also the Vanyar
CreatedFrom Y.T. 1133[1] to Y.T. 1140[2]
GalleryImages of Tirion

Tirion was the city of the Eldar in Eldamar. It was here that Ingwë and later Finwë ruled.

Description

The green hill of Túna was located in the steep-walled valley of Calacirya ("The Cleft of Light" in Quenya), the only pass through the mountains of the Pelóri. Upon the crown of the hill the Elves raised their largest settlement west of the sea, Tirion.

The walls and terraces were white, and the sand in the streets was said to be of grains of diamond, and white crystal stairs climbed from the fertile land beneath to the great gates.

The centre of the city was dominated by the High King of all Elves Ingwë's tower Mindon Eldaliéva, whose silver lantern shone far out to sea. Beneath the tower was the house of Finwë, first King of the Noldor. Here also was the Great Square, where the white tree Galathilion flourished, and later the site of Fëanor's infamous oath.

History

When the city was built, it was occupied by both the Vanyar and the Noldor, and was ruled by Ingwë. When most of the Vanyar resettled to the base of Mount Taniquetil, the rule of Tirion was given to Finwë. Many years of bliss followed, until Tirion was shaken by the King's eldest son, Fëanor who was banished from Tirion, and was exiled (with many Noldor) to Formenos.[3]

After the murder of his father at the hands of the dark Lord Morgoth and the theft of his most precious gems, the Silmarils, Fëanor assembled the Noldor at the Great Square. There he urged them to go back to Middle-earth to avenge their king and reclaim the Silmarils, and to see that their lives in Tirion were simply a prison brought upon them by the Valar. In the end only a tenth of the population remained in Tirion when Fëanor and his people departed, though some followed their new king only reluctantly, and some would soon abandon Fëanor and follow Finarfin back to Tirion.

Ted Nasmith - Eärendil Searches Tirion

Nearly 600 years later, when all the elven kingdoms in Beleriand were in ruins, the half-elf Eärendil sailed into the West in search of Valinor to ask for the assistance of the Valar in the war against Morgoth. Eärendil arrived in Tirion on a day of festival when the city was all but empty, and only when he had turned his back on the city and began to return was he approached by a herald of the Valar. His coming led to the War of Wrath and the end of the First Age.

More than 3,000 years followed before Tirion was for the first time seen by mortal eyes. Soldiers of the king of Númenor, deceived by Sauron, landed in on the shores of Eldamar and camped around Túna, which the fleeing elves emptied. When the men of Númenor were buried under falling hills, Tirion, along with all the Undying Lands, was taken out of mortal reach forever.

Etymology

In Quenya, tirion means "watch-tower, tower", deriving from root TIR.[4]

Other versions of the legendarium

In the early legendarium of the Book of Lost Tales, the city was called Kortirion.

In other stories

Tirion is referenced in Tolkien's Roverandom. In the story, written down in 1927, the great whale Uin takes the enchanted dog Roverandom (formerly known as Rover) on adventures through the seas: Uin takes Roverandom through the Shadowy Seas to the Bay of Fairyland beyond the Magic Isles where Rover saw the Mountains of Elvenhome and the light of Faery. Roverandom thought he could see the white glint of a city of Elves on a green hill far away in the distance.[5]

See also

References