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Fortress · Rohan

Isengard

Orthanc · Nan Curunír

The Ring of Isengard, a Gondorian fortress that Saruman turned into a war machine and the Ents drowned

View on map Rohan
Appears in
The Lord of the Rings
Region
Rohan
Journeys passing through
3
Isengard on the map of Middle-earth

Isengard stands where the Misty Mountains end, in a valley under Methedras called Nan Curunír, the Wizard's Vale. It watches the Gap of Rohan, the broad opening between the Misty Mountains and the White Mountains through which any army moving between Eriador and the south must pass. The Fords of Isen lie a short way south, and Helm's Deep is beyond them.

Gondor built it in the days of its strength and named it Angrenost. A circular wall a mile across, pierced by one tunnel gate, surrounds a plain with Orthanc at the center. The wall is unbroken rock. For centuries it held a Gondorian garrison guarding the crossing, but the line thinned, and in TA 2759 Steward Beren gave the keys to Saruman, who settled there as a friendly wizard and a watchman on Saruman's own account.

What began as a garden ended as an armory. Saruman declared himself lord of Isengard, cut down the trees of the vale, dug the plain into shafts and forges, and bred Uruk-hai in numbers Rohan had not seen. From here he attacked the Fords of Isen in February and March TA 3019 and sent the host that was destroyed at the Hornburg. Rohan lost its western defense to the same machine, and the Shire felt the results later when Saruman went north.

The counterstroke came from the forest he had been felling. On 3 March the Ents came down out of Fangorn, tore the wall apart, and turned the Isen into the ring, drowning the pits and quenching the furnaces. Saruman was left shut in Orthanc with Wormtongue. Treebeard held him prisoner, then let him go, and the ruined circle was replanted as the Treegarth of Orthanc.

Events at this place

  1. TA 2759 · Appendices

    Gondor grants Isengard to Saruman

    Steward Beren gave the keys of Orthanc to Saruman, who took up residence and was welcomed as a guard on the western passes.

  2. TA 3018, July 10 · The Lord of the Rings

    Gandalf imprisoned on Orthanc

    Saruman revealed himself and held Gandalf on the pinnacle of Orthanc from July until Gwaihir carried him off in September.

  3. TA 3019, March 3 · The Lord of the Rings

    The Ents storm Isengard

    On 3 March the Ents broke the ring wall and diverted the Isen into the circle, wrecking Saruman's pits and forges in a single night.

  4. TA 3019, March 5 · The Lord of the Rings

    The parley at the gate

    Gandalf, Théoden and Aragorn came to the flooded ruin, Gandalf broke Saruman's staff, and Wormtongue threw down the palantír.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Isengard on the Middle-earth map?

In the valley of Nan Curunír at the southern end of the Misty Mountains, north of the Gap of Rohan and the Fords of Isen.

Who built Isengard?

Gondor, as the fortress of Angrenost guarding the Gap of Rohan. Saruman was given the keys much later, in TA 2759.

How did the Ents defeat Isengard?

They broke the ring wall on 3 March TA 3019 and turned the river Isen into the circle, flooding Saruman's underground works.