Minas Tirith

Minas Tirith meant 'Tower of the Guard'. It was also called the White City, and the City of Gondor. It was known as Mundburg to the Rohirrim. Formerly Minas Anor, it was renamed Minas Tirith at about TA 2002, when the Nazgûl captured Minas Ithil. It was the citadel of the Kings of Gondor after the destruction of Osgiliath. In the centre of the topmost circle was a tall tower called the Tower of Ecthelion. It had stood there before under another name, but it was rebuilt by the Steward Ecthelion I in around TA 2719. The tower was used to bear the standard of the city, and for some time housed one of the palantíri. The White Tree of Gondor was planted in the Courtyard after Isildur's escape from Minas Ithil. The Kingdom's ascendancy was restored at the end of the Third Age when Aragorn Elessar was crowned King of Gondor and Anor.