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"Cirith Ungol: Modified Gondorian Architecture?" Topic


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Cacique Caribe17 Sep 2010 10:50 p.m. PST

From LOTR film examples and from other illustrations I've seen, I get the impression that Mordor architecture seems to simply be modified Gondorian styles.

Here are some examples of Cirith Ungol:

picture
picture
picture
link
link
link

To me it looks a bit too sophisticated for Orcs, Uruks and others.

In the writings of Tolkien, was that really supposed to be the case?

Dan
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Personal logo Whirlwind Supporting Member of TMP17 Sep 2010 11:32 p.m. PST

Yes. The Gates of Mordor and Cirith Ungol were both supposed to have been built by the men of Gondor.

Regards

Cacique Caribe17 Sep 2010 11:52 p.m. PST

Ahah!

Thanks,

Dan

Tanuki18 Sep 2010 1:37 a.m. PST

Minas Morgul was the twin of Minas Tirith before the Nazgul captured it, so will have Gondorian architecture.

IIRC, at one point in the book Sam realises that Cirith Ungol was built to keep the nasty stuff IN Mordor, not to keep anyone out.

Plynkes18 Sep 2010 4:00 a.m. PST

Minas Morgul was orginally called Minas Ithil (the tower of the Moon), and (as mentioned above) was the sister city to Minas Anor (the tower of the Sun), which was later renamed Minas Tirith.


"Gondorian?" Stop that at once, please. "of Gondor" was good enough for Tolkien, so ought to be good enough for us. :)

Plynkes18 Sep 2010 4:14 a.m. PST

Barad-dûr is all Sauron and no Gondor, however.

Cacique Caribe18 Sep 2010 7:06 a.m. PST

Excellent info. Thanks so much.

Dan

aecurtis Fezian18 Sep 2010 7:47 a.m. PST

I would be inclined to call the towers of the cities Numenorean architecture, rather than of Gondor. Isildur built Minas Ithil, and Anarion built Minas Anor (later Minas Tirith).

The Tower of Cirith Ungol, however, was built after the War of the Last Alliance, so that could properly be called architecture of Gondor. The same is true for Carchost and Narchost, the Towers of the Teeth flanking the Morannon. The Gate itself was Sauron's work.

Allen

darthfozzywig18 Sep 2010 9:08 a.m. PST

And you can throw Orthanc and the Ring of Isengard on the list of Numenorean structures, although Orthanc was built atop a (preter?)natural formation.

Barad-dur, on the other hand, was built by a contractor from Nurn in the Second Age. Some corners were cut and only noticed during the Siege of the Last Alliance, much to Sauron's chagrin.

Timbo W19 Sep 2010 7:21 a.m. PST

Indeed, the Second Age Barad-dur took 600 years to build but the Third Age rebuilding was completed in less than 60 years. So probably a wobbly collection of portakabins, plaster board and mdf with stone-cladding!

Cacique Caribe19 Sep 2010 9:55 p.m. PST

Darthfozzywing: "was built by a contractor from Nurn in the Second Age. Some corners were cut"

LOL

Dan

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