July 17, 2003

Location of Osgiliath
Brett C.

Hello, Underhill. The reason Osgiliath is so close to the city of the Ringwraiths is of course that the the Nazgul actually seized and occupied Minas Ithil, the former city of Isildur. In the early days of Gondor the nation was actually governed from Osgiliath, which was centered between Minas Ithil and Minas Anor, the city of Isildur's brother, Anarion, with the brothers ruling jointly. When Minas Ithis fell to the Nazgul the throne was moved to Minas Anor, which was then renamed Minas Tirth, the Tower of Guard. Osgiliath was gradually rendered desolate by the warfare between the two cities, hence it's war-ravaged appearance in the TTT.