Hallows
The Hallows or the Tombs were a place in Minas Tirith where Kings of Gondor, Stewards and other important men of the realm were buried, containing the House of the Kings and the House of the Stewards.
It was built on the shoulder of the hill, belonged to the fourth level of the city, but its entrance, Fen Hollen, was located to the sixth, descending the Rath Dínen.[1]
History
Borondir, a soldier of Gondor whose deeds in the Battle of the Field of Celebrant earned him great renown, was laid in tomb in the Hallows after his death in that battle.[2]
Sometime later, after the foundation of Rohan, Cirion relocated the remains of Elendil to the Hallows (until then being buried on Halifirien).[2]
On 15 March T.A. 3019[3] the Steward Denethor II brought his son Faramir to the Hallows where he intended to burn both of them alive. The guard Beregond tried to save Faramir but was held up by Denethor's servants. Beregond had killed two of the servants in the Hallows before Gandalf, alerted by Pippin, came and rescued Faramir. Denethor though succeeded in taking his own life.[4]
King Théoden was temporarily placed in the Hallows after his death until his body was brought back to Rohan.[5]
The Hobbits Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, of the Company of the Ring, were also given a place there after their deaths, beside the tomb of King Aragorn Elessar.[6]
Etymology
Hallows means "sacred place" and is a translation of an unknown Gondor Sindarin name.[7]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Pyre of Denethor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Many Partings"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "Later Events Concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring", S.R. 1484
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 771