Tower of Ecthelion

From Tolkien Gateway
(Redirected from White Tower)
The name Ecthelion refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Ecthelion (disambiguation).
Tower of Ecthelion
Tower
Jef Murray - The Tower of Ecthelion.jpg
"The Tower of Ecthelion" by Jef Murray
General Information
Other namesWhite Tower
LocationMinas Tirith, above the Tower Hall
TypeTower
People and History
InhabitantsKing of Gondor
CreatedT.A. 1900

The Tower of Ecthelion,[1][2] also known as the White Tower[3] or the Tower of Denethor[4] was the chief tower of the Citadel of Minas Tirith.[5]

Description[edit | edit source]

At the Court of the Fountain by Ted Nasmith

The Tower of Ecthelion stood in the centre of the Citadel[6] on the topmost seventh circle of walls of the city. The tower was 300 feet tall with a banner at the top.[3] Under the sun, the Tower's shapely form shone and glimmered like a spike of crystals, pearl and silver against the sky. White banners waved from its battlements.[1] At the base of the tower was the Tower Hall, a great hall where the throne[7] of the King of Gondor stood upon a dais of many steps, and at the foot the dais on the lowest step was a black stone chair where the Steward of Gondor sat[8]. The tower also contained a high chamber[9] where probably the palantír of Minas Tirith, the Anor-stone, was kept[10].

In front (i.e. east) of the tower was the Court of the Fountain[3] where the White Tree of Gondor grew[11]. To the right (i.e. north) of the tower was Merethrond, the Great Hall of Feasts and behind (i.e. west) of the tower was the King's House.[6]

History[edit | edit source]

The White Tower was first built by King Calimehtar in T.A. 1900.[12] In T.A. 2698, the White Tower was rebuilt by Steward Ecthelion I.[13]

On March 9, T.A. 3019,[14] Peregrin Took got his first glimpse of the Tower of Ecthelion as he rode with Gandalf to Minas Tirith.[1]

On May 1, T.A. 3019,[15] Aragorn was crowned King and when he entered the Citadel, the Livery of Elendil bearing the Tree and the Stars was unfurled on the pinnacle of the Tower of Ecthelion.[16]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

After the Steward Ecthelion I rebuilt it, it was often called the Tower of Ecthelion.[17] Also called the Tower of Denethor during the reign of Denethor II.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith", p. 751
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", "The Stewards", entry for Steward Denethor II, p. 1057
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith", p. 752
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Palantír", p. 600
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 514
  6. 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part One: The End of the Third Age: VII. Many Partings", p. 67 citing from a plan of the Citadel that was drawn by J.R.R. Tolkien on a manuscript
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, entry Tower Hall, p. 543
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith", p. 754
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith", p. 765
  10. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 522
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith", p. 753
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 1900, p. 1086
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2698, p. 1088
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 9, p. 1093
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Chief Days from the Fall of Barad-dûr to the End of the Third Age", entry for the year 3019, May 1, p. 1095
  16. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Steward and the King", p. 968
  17. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VIII. The Tale of Years of the Third Age", T4, entry for the year 2698