The Tower of Ecthelion, also known as the White Tower or the Tower of Denethor was the chief tower of the Citadel of Minas Tirith.
Other versions of the legendarium
A late manuscript version mentions that Calimehtar (spelled Kalimehtar in that version) built the White Tower to house the palantír.
Description
The Tower of Ecthelion stood in the centre of the Citadel on the topmost seventh circle of walls of the city. The tower was 300 feet tall with a banner at the top. Under the sun, the Tower's shapely form shone and glimmered like a spike of crystals, pearl and silver against the sky. White banners waved from its battlements. At the base of the tower was the Tower Hall, a great hall where the throne of the King of Gondor stood upon a dais of many steps, and at the foot the dais on the lowest step was a black stone chair where the Steward of Gondor sat. The tower also contained a high chamber where probably the palantír of Minas Tirith, the Anor-stone, was kept.
In front (i.e. east) of the tower was the Court of the Fountain where the White Tree of Gondor grew. To the right (i.e. north) of the tower was Merethrond, the Great Hall of Feasts and behind (i.e. west) of the tower was the King's House.
Maps
The White Tower was first built by King Calimehtar in T.A. 1900. In T.A. 2698, the White Tower was rebuilt by Steward Ecthelion I.
On March 9, T.A. 3019, Peregrin Took got his first glimpse of the Tower of Ecthelion as he rode with Gandalf to Minas Tirith.
On May 1, T.A. 3019, Aragorn was crowned King and when he entered the Citadel, the standard of Elendil bearing the Tree and the Stars was unfurled on the pinnacle of the Tower of Ecthelion.
Artwork
