Osgiliath

Ruined former capital of Gondor, spanning the River Anduin

Other names

Fortress of the Stars Citadel of the Stars City of the Stars

ca. 1 min

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In briefanswer capsule

Osgiliath was the ancient capital of Gondor, founded by Isildur and Anárion on both banks of the River Anduin and joined by a great bridge. Its Dome of Stars once housed one of the palantíri. Ravaged by plague and civil strife, the city fell into ruin, yet remained a fiercely contested outpost guarding the approach to Minas Tirith.

Time anchorSecond Age c. 3320 – Third Age 1640Open in the master timeline · across 2 ages

In the Annals

Where the Tale of Years names this entry: 5 entries.

TA 1437Osgiliath burns and one of the seeing-stones is lost with it. Eldacar escapes to Rhovanion; his son is murdered.Appendix B, The Tale of Years
TA 1640Tarondor makes Minas Anor the royal seat and sets a new sapling there. Osgiliath begins to fall empty, and the watch on Mordor lapses.Appendix B, The Tale of Years
TA 2475Gondor is attacked again; Osgiliath is destroyed for good and its bridge broken.Appendix B, The Tale of Years
TA 3018 · 06-20Sauron strikes at Osgiliath. At about the same hour Thranduil's realm is attacked and Gollum gets away.Appendix B, The Tale of Years
TA 3019 · 03-11Gollum goes to Shelob but, finding Frodo asleep, comes close to turning back. Denethor sends Faramir to Osgiliath; Aragorn reaches Linhir and passes into Lebennin.Appendix B, The Tale of Years

Sources

The Lord of the Rings — Appendix A, I, iv, Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion
The Lord of the Rings — Book IV, ch. 5, The Window on the West
The Lord of the Rings — Book V, ch. 4, The Siege of Gondor
The Lord of the Rings — Appendix B, The Tale of Years

Cite this page

Legendarium (2026): „Osgiliath“. Last updated August 18, 2026. https://www.legendarium.page/places/osgiliath/

APA

Legendarium. (2026). Osgiliath. Last updated August 18, 2026. https://www.legendarium.page/places/osgiliath/

MLA

„Osgiliath“. Legendarium, 2026, https://www.legendarium.page/places/osgiliath/. Last updated August 18, 2026.

BibTeX

@misc{legendarium-osgiliath-en,
  title        = {Osgiliath},
  author       = {{Legendarium}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.legendarium.page/places/osgiliath/}},
  note         = {Last updated August 18, 2026}
}