Minas Morgul

On the map, follow the east road from Osgiliath through Ithilien to the Cross-roads, then turn north and climb: the valley of the Morgulduin opens in the Mountains of Shadow, and the tower stands at its head. A white bridge crosses the stream below it, and from the bridge a stair climbs the mountain wall toward the pass of Cirith Ungol, which is the back door into Mordor.

Isildur founded it as Minas Ithil, twin to his brother's Minas Anor, and kept the Ithil-stone there, one of the seven palantíri. Sauron sacked the city in SA 3429, and Isildur escaped by ship with a seedling of the White Tree, leaving Anárion to hold the line.

After the Nazgûl came to Mordor they took the tower in TA 2002, and with it the palantír, which is how Sauron later gained a seeing stone of his own. The city's light turned corpse pale, the valley filled with a sickly scent, and Gondor renamed it Minas Morgul, the Tower of Sorcery. Nothing grew in the vale afterward but pale flowers with the smell of a tomb, and the Morgulduin ran cold and foul beneath the white bridge. Gondor watched the road from Ithilien but never tried to take the city back.

In TA 2050 King Eärnur accepted the Witch-king's challenge to single combat, rode into the valley and was never seen again, which ended the line of kings in Gondor. On 10 March TA 3019 Frodo, Sam and Gollum hid beside the road as the Morgul host marched out to war, and after the Ring was destroyed the tower was thrown down at Aragorn's command, though the valley was left unclean for long years.

Events at this place

1. SA 3320 · Appendices

   Minas Ithil founded

   Isildur built the Tower of the Rising Moon in the Mountains of Shadow and kept the Ithil-stone there.

2. SA 3429 · Appendices

   Sauron takes the city

   Sauron stormed Minas Ithil. Isildur fled down the Anduin with a seedling of the White Tree to seek help from his father.

3. TA 2002 · Appendices

   The Nazgûl capture the tower

   After a long siege the Ringwraiths took Minas Ithil and its palantír. It was renamed Minas Morgul, and Minas Anor became Minas Tirith.

4. TA 2050 · Appendices

   The challenge to Eärnur

   The last King of Gondor rode into the Morgul Vale to answer the Witch-king in single combat and was never heard of again.

5. TA 3019, March 10 · The Lord of the Rings

   The Morgul host marches

   On 10 March the Witch-king led his army out toward Osgiliath while Frodo and Sam lay hidden by the road above the white bridge.

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