High Court

Taurost,^[1] the High City,^[2] also known as the High Court,^[3] the Citadel of Gondor,^[4] and the Citadel of Minas Tirith,^[5] was the topmost circle of Minas Tirith, within the seventh wall.^[6]

Description

Taurost^[1] was a strong fortress^[3] on top of Amon Tirith, on which Minas Tirith was built,^[7] 700 feet above the Great Gate of the City.^[3] It consisted of the topmost seventh wall in the shape of a circle with seven towers at equal distances along the wall, of which one tower stood next to the gate of Taurost^[1]. On its eastern side was a battlement on the top of a pier of rock, which looked like a ship-keel and rose from the ground behind the Great Gate on the lowest circle of walls of the city.^[8]

The entrance to Taurost^[1] was on the east side and was carved into the rock. A sloping lamp-lit tunnel led up to the seventh gate, which was guarded by the Guards of the Citadel.^[3]

In the center of Taurost^[1] was the White Tower of Minas Tirith^[3] and the Tower Hall^[2].^[8] In front of the White Tower was^[8] the Court of the Fountain where the White Tree had grown, died,^[3] and grew again after King Aragorn II had found and planted a seedling of it.^[2] Behind the White Tower was^[8] the King's House.^[9] To the right side of the White Tower was^[8] the feast hall Merethrond, where banquets and dances were held.^[10] Taurost^[1] also contained barracks for the Guard, a storehouse and buttery for the Guard,^[3] a mess for the Guard in a small hall on the north side,^[3] a house for guests close to the walls on the north side,^[3] armories and deep vaults.^[11]

Probably the most important symbolic area of the city, the Court of the Fountain, was the home of the great White Tree. It was a large, grassed area with the White Tree being the central feature. Next to the tree was a pool with the fountain that gave the courtyard its name. The Tree symbolized Gondor and was the emblem of the realm. The Tree was grown from a seed of Nimloth, the tree given to the Númenóreans by the Eldar. It was first planted there by Isildur, and grew to symbolize the blessings of Men. But by the end of the Third Age the tree was dead, perhaps symbolizing Minas Tirith's decline. It was only with the Crowning of King Elessar that a new sapling was found, foreshadowing the City's return to glory under the new King.^[3][2]

Etymology

Taurost is likely^[12] a Sindarin name meaning "High City", possibly being derived from the words taur ("huge;^[13] vast, mighty, overwhelming, awful; high, sublime")^[14] and ost^[15] ("enclosure;^[16] fort,^[17][18] citadel;^[19] fortified town;^[20] fortress^[21] or stronghold;^[22] city, town with wall round"^[23]).^[24]

In other versions

In a preliminary draft of what would later become the chapter "The Steward and the King" it is mentioned that the house in which the Companions of the Ring lived together with Gandalf was in the citadel.^[25] In an earlier version of what would later become the chapter "Many Partings", Merethrond is said to be in the citadel. A page for this passage contains a plan of the citadel, which shows the shape of the wall, the locations of the towers, of the White Tower and the Hall of the Kings, of the Court of the Fountain, of the King's House and of the Hall of Feasts and outlines of other buildings.^[8]

Translations

Foreign Language	Translated name
Afrikaans	Sitadel van Minas Tirith
Arabic	معقل ميناس تيريث
Armenian	Մինաշ Տիրիտհ Միջնաբերդ
Asturian	Ciudadela d'Minas Tirith
Azerbaijani	Minas Tirith Qalasında
Basque	Minas Tirithko zitadela
Belarusian Cyrillic	Мі́нас Ты́рыт цытадэль
Bosnian	Minas Tirithova citadela
Bulgarian Cyrillic	Цитадела на Минас Тирит
Catalan	Ciutadella d'Minas Tirith
Croatian	Minas Tirithska citadela
Czech	Citadela v Minas Tirith
Danish	Borgen (i Minas Tirith)
Dutch	Citadel van Minas Tirith
Esperanto	Citadelo de Minas Tirith
Estonian	Minas Tirithi tsitadell
Finnish	Minas Tirithin Sitadelli
French	Citadelle de Minas Tirith
Georgian	მინას ტირითის ციტადელი
German	Zitadelle von Minas Tirith
Greek	Ακρόπολη του Μίνας Τίριθ
Hebrew	מצודת מינאס טירית
Hindi	मिनस तीरिथ का दुर्ग
Indonesian	Istana Minas Tirith
Italian	Cittadella di Minas Tirith
Japanese	ミナス・ティリス 城塞
Korean	미나스 티리스 성채
Latvian	Minas Tiritho citadelė
Lithuanian	Minas Tiritho citadelė
Luxembourgish	Zitadell vu Minas Tirith
Malaysian	Istana kota Minas Tirith
Mongolian Cyrillic	Минас Тирит-ийн цайз
Nepalese	मिनस तिरिथको कोट
Norwegian	Minas Tirith citadell
Persian	ارگ میناس تیریت
Polish	Cytadela w Minas Tirith
Portuguese	Cidadela de Minas Tirith
Romanian	Citadela din Minas Tirith
Russian	Цитадель Минас Тирита
Slovak	Minas Tirith citadela
Slovenian	Minas Tirith citadela
Spanish	Ciudadela de Minas Tirith
Swedish	Minas Tiriths citadell
Turkish	Minas Tirith İç kale
Ukrainian Cyrillic	Цитадель Мінас-Тіріт
Uzbek	Минас Тиритнинг арк (Cyrillic) Minas Tiritning ark (Latin)

References