Tower of Cirith Ungol

2009-08-20T03:18:41Z

74.170.70.193: /* History */

{{location
| image=[[Image:Alan Lee - The Tower of Cirith Ungol.jpg|200px]]
| name=The Tower of Cirith Ungol
| othernames=
| etymology=[[S.]] ''[[cirith]]'' "pass, cleft" + ''[[ungol]]'' "spider"
| type=Tower
| location=[[Ephel Dúath]]
| inhabitants=[[Gondorians]]/[[Orcs]]
| realms=[[Gondor]] (? - [[Third Age 1636|T.A. 1636]]) /[[Mordor]] ([[Third Age 1980|T.A. 1980]] - [[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]])
| description=Black tower
| events=[[Quest of the Ring]], [[Battle of Cirith Ungol]]
| references=''[[The Tower of Cirith Ungol]]''
|}}

The '''Tower of Cirith Ungol''' ([[Sindarin]], "Spider's cleft") was a bastion in [[Mordor]]. It is the main location in the first chapter of [[Book VI]], ''[[The Tower of Cirith Ungol]]''.

==History==

The Tower of Cirith Ungol was originally a watchtower of [[Gondor]] guarding the [[Cirith Ungol|high pass]] over the [[Ephel Dúath]]. Its principal purpose was to defend [[Ithilien]] from attacks from [[Sauron]]'s remaining servants. It also served to stop Sauron's servants from returning to Mordor.

Gondor occupied the fortress until [[Third Age 1636|T.A. 1636]] when the [[Great Plague]] killed large parts of Gondor's population. After the plague, Gondor never again manned the Tower of Cirith Ungol and evil was allowed to return to Mordor. Similar fates suffered the mountain fortress of [[Durthang]] in northwestern Mordor, and the [[Towers of the Teeth]] at the [[Morannon]].

During the [[War of the Ring]], [[Orcs]] from the Tower, under the command of [[Shagrat]], brought [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] there for questioning after finding his unconcious body in the Pass below. Only after overhearing their conversation did [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] realize that Frodo had been paralyzed by [[Shelob]], and not killed as he first thought.

When the orcs searched Frodo, they found the shirt of [[mithril]] mail he was wearing. A contingent of orcs from [[Minas Morgul]] led by [[Gorbag]] was also present at the tower, and Gorbag and Shagrat fought for possession of the mithril. The fighting spread throughout the tower, and most of the orcs on both sides were killed, making it possible for Sam to enter the tower and rescue Frodo.

==Appearance==

The Tower stood against the mountainface, pointing East, into Mordor. It was made by the Gondorians some time after the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]]. It was made of black stone, possibly the same material as [[Orthanc]] and the [[Stone of Erech]].

The lower section of the Tower consisted of three tiers, with a sharp angle pointing East. The lowest tier was protected by a 30 feet high wall, and the main gate was guarded by the [[Two Watchers]]. These were made by [[Sauron]], not by the Gondorians. The Watchers spun a web of magic that denied passage to the fortress.

On top of the three tiers stood a round turret, visible from [[Shelob's Lair]]. [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] made three drawings of the Tower were only the turret is visible ([[J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator|TAI]] 171, 172, 173), and one with the entire bastion ([[J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator|TAI]] 174). This last picture depicts the Tower in an earlier stage of writing, with four tiers.

==References==
* [[The Return of the King]], [[The Tower of Cirith Ungol]].
* [[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]]
* [[Sauron Defeated]]
* [[J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator]]

[[Category:Towers]]
[[Category:Mordor]]

[[de:Turm von Cirith Ungol]]
[[fi:Cirith Ungolin torni]]

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Tower of Cirith Ungol