— Ch. 1 · Seven Walled Heights —
Minas Tirith.
~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
The city rises 700 feet to a high terrace, housing the Citadel at its seventh level. Atop this sits the 300-foot high Tower of Ecthelion, which contains the throne room. Minas Tirith had seven walls, each holding a gate that faced a different direction from the next. Each wall alternately faced somewhat north or south for strength of defence. The outermost wall was black and built of the same material used for Orthanc. This first wall was also the tallest, longest, and strongest of the city's seven walls. It stood vulnerable only to earthquakes capable of rending the ground where it stood. A large paved area called the Gateway lay in front of the Great Gate. Main roads met here, including the North-way that became the Great West Road to Rohan. The South Road led to the southern provinces of Gondor. The road to Osgiliath stretched to the north-east of Minas Tirith. Except for the high saddle of rock joining the west of the hill to Mindolluin, the city was surrounded by the Pelennor farmlands. The main street zigzagged up the eastern hill-face through each of the gates. It led to the Citadel through the Seventh Gate on its eastern part. The White Tower stood 700 feet higher than the surrounding plains. Its pinnacle reached some 540 feet above the plain. Inside the tower hall, Kings held court while the Seeing-stone rested in a secret chamber at the top.
Echoes Of Ancient Rome
Scholars following various leads in Tolkien's fantasy and letters have identified Minas Tirith with several different historical or mythical cities. Troy appears as one candidate because Minas Tirith had impregnable walls similar to those of ancient Troy. Michael Livingston notes the siege threatened civilisation just as Troy faced destruction. In a letter, Tolkien stated that Minas Tirith lies about 600 miles south of Hobbiton. He placed the Mouths of Anduin and the ancient city of Pelargir at about the latitude of ancient Troy. Sandra Ballif Straubhaar states in The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia that the most striking similarities are with ancient Rome. Aeneas from Troy survived the destruction of his home country, much like Elendil escaped Númenor. The brothers Romulus and Remus founded Rome, while Isildur and Anárion founded Gondor and Arnor. Both Gondor and Rome experienced centuries of decadence and decline. Judy Ann Ford writes that Minas Tirith was entirely built of stone. She claims it is the only culture within Anglo-Saxon historical memory that made places like Minas Tirith. Tolkien intended to create a mythology for England where the Third Age is ostensibly many thousands of years ago. Much of the setting remains medieval despite its ancient origins. Her account echoes the decline and fall of Rome but includes a happy ending. Minas Tirith somehow withstood the onslaught of armies from the east. It was restored to glory after surviving the final siege.