Halifirien

2026-06-20T18:47:02Z

Resill: /* History */ small typo

{{short description|Seventh Beacon-hill of Gondor}}
{{disambig-more|Holy Mountain|[[Holy Mountain (disambiguation)]]}}
{{disambig-two|the mountain|fan film|[[Halifirien: The Hallowed Mountain‎]]}}
{{location infobox
| name=Halifirien
| image=Matěj Čadil - The Path to Amon Anwar.jpg
| caption="The Path to Amon Anwar" by Matěj Čadil
| pronun=
| othernames=Eilenaer, Amon Anwar, the Whispering Wood
| location=In the central [[White Mountains]] overlooking [[Gondor]] and [[Rohan]]
| type=Mountain
| description=Seventh [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon-hill]] of [[Gondor]]
| regions=
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| inhabitants=
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}}

'''Halifirien''', originally known as '''Eilenaer''' and later known as '''Amon Anwar''' by the [[Gondorians]], '''Halifirien''' by the [[Rohirrim]]<ref name="Tradition">{{UT|Tradition}}</ref> and the Whispering Wood" in [[Westron]]<ref name="Eorl">{{UT|Eorl}}</ref>, was the seventh and westernmost of the [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon-hills]] north of the [[White Mountains]] which ran westwards from the city of [[Minas Tirith]] to close to the border between [[Anórien]] and [[Rohan]] (formerly the Gondorian provnice of ''[[Calenardhon]]''.<ref>{{RK|Map}}</ref>

== Appearance ==
Halifirien was the highest of the seven [[Warning beacons of Gondor|Beacon-hills]] north of the [[White Mountains]] and the highest point of a long northward spur of the White Mountains. ''Halifirien'' appeared to stand alone out of the [[Firienholt|Firien Wood]] due to a deep cleft, the Firien-dale, that separated it from the northward spur of the White Mountains. On the cleft side it was a sheer wall, but its outer slopes, especially to the north, were long and nowhere steep. Trees grew densely on the base of its outer slopes, becoming thinner almost up to the summit, which was bare. When [[Isildur]] visited, the summit was leveled and a memorial mound was raised on the eastward side, with a stairway and then a pathway marked by standing stones descending to the great West Road. After the hallowing by Isildur the hill and the surrounding woods were known for their profound silence.<ref name="Eorl"/>

Besides the trees on the slopes and the green grass at the summit (which was surrounded by a belt of white birches), the memorial mound was covered with white flowers of ''[[alfirin]]''.<ref name="Eorl"/>

== History ==
After the end of the [[War of the Last Alliance]] ({{SA|3441}}) and before he departed for [[Arnor]] ({{TA|2}}), Isildur journeyed with his nephew [[Meneldil]] and a party of trusted friends about the borders of all the lands claimed by [[Gondor]]. Near the center of these lands they came to a hill then called [[Eilenaer]]. The party made a path to the treeless summit, created a level space, and raised a mound at its eastern end. Within the mound Isildur laid a casket and hallowed it as the [[Tomb of Elendil]]. After that time the hill was renamed Amon Anwar, the “Hill of Awe”.<ref name="Tradition"/>

No beacon was built on Amon Anwar as long as communication was still maintained between [[Osgiliath]], [[Minas Morgul|Minas Ithil]], [[Minas Tirith|Minas Anor]] and [[Orthanc]] with the [[Palantíri]] in the great days of Gondor.<ref name="Eorl"/>

Following the victory at the [[Field of Celebrant]], [[Cirion]] the [[Stewards of Gondor]], brought [[Eorl the Young]], the [[Lord of the Éothéod]], to the summit of Amon Anwar in August, {{TA|2510}}. There they spoke the [[Oath of Eorl|Oath]] by which Calenardhon was ceded to the [[Éothéod]]. Cirion also declared that Amon Anwar was now a hallowed place of both peoples and that the Eorlings and the Stewards should henceforward share in its guard and maintenance. After Eorl had returned to the North to bring back all his people, Cirion removed the tomb of Elendil and took the casket to [[Rath Dínen]].<ref name="Eorl"/>

After the [[Éothéod]] had settled in [[Calenardhon]] (later known as [[Rohan]]), a warning beacon was built<ref name="Note35">{{UT|8e}}, note 35</ref> on the crown of the hill<ref name="Tradition"/> at the beacon-site, a wide circle and lodges were constructed for the [[Beacon-wardens]] in the trees near the summit<ref name="Eorl"/>. The Beacon-wardens had turns of duty and did not stay long, unless they were forced to stay there by bad weather. Initially Gondor and Rohan shared the guarding and maintenance of Amon Anwar.<ref name="Eorl"/>

In later days as Gondor declined and the Rohirrim grew in power and numbers, the wardens of Anwar were provided entirely by the people of [[Eastfold]] from Rohan. The hill was then named the '''Halifirien''' by them.<ref name="Eorl"/>

During the ride of [[Gandalf]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]] to [[Minas Tirith]] (on March 7, {{TA|3019}}) they saw the beacons of Gondor, including the one on the Halifirien, being lit.<ref>{{RK|MT}}, p. 747</ref>

After King Elessar returned, the bond of Cirion and Eorl was renewed in the same place with [[Éomer]], king of the [[Rohirrim]].<ref>{{UT|8e}}, note 44</ref>

== Etymology ==
''Halifirien'' means "Holy Mount"<ref name="Tradition"/> or "Holy Mountain" in the [[Rohanese|language of Rohan]]<ref name="Eorl"/><ref name="VTHalifirien">{{VT|42a}}, entry '''''Halifirien''''', p. 20</ref><ref name="NMHalifirien">{{NM|P3xxii}}, entry ''Halifirien'', p. 394</ref>. The name is a modernized spelling of [[Old English]] ''Háligfirgen''.<ref name="Note33">{{UT|8e}}, note 33</ref><ref name="VTHalifirien"/><ref name="NMHalifirien"/> The second element ''firgen'' means "mountain" in [[Old English]].<ref name="Note33"/><ref>{{HM|N}}, entry, '''Firien''', p. 770</ref>

''Eilenaer'' is a name of [[pre-Númenórean]] origin, which is related to the name ''[[Eilenach]]''.<ref>{{UT|8e}}, note 51</ref> It was not a name in [[Sindarin]], [[Adûnaic|Númenórean]] or [[Westron]].<ref>{{VT|42a}}, entry '''''Eilenach and Eilenaer''''', p. 20</ref><ref>{{NM|P3xxii}}, entry ''Eilenach and Eilenaer'', pp. 390-1</ref>

''Amon Anwar'' means "Hill of Awe" in [[Sindarin]]<ref name="Eorl"/><ref>{{UT|Index}}, entry *''Amon Anwar''</ref> from ''[[amon]]'' "hill" and ''[[anwar]]'' "awe"<ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-3642856217.html|articlename=S. ''Amon Anwar'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=10 May 2026}}</ref>.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Halifirien.jpg|thumb|Halifirien beacon in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'']]
'''2012: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The Beacon-hill of Halifirien is visible from the town of Beaconwatch in Rohan and accessible from the Beacon-hills area in Gondor. The [[Tomb of Elendil]] stands untouched, although several [[Variags]] have been trying to find their way in.

{{references}}

{{beacons}}

[[Category:White Mountains]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]

[[de:Halifirien]]
[[fi:Amon Anwar]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/reliefs/montagnes blanches/amon anwar]]

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Halifirien