Place from Tolkien's Legendarium The tower of Orthanc in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy
Name	Orthanc (Cunning mind (Rohirric))
Other names	Mount Fang (Sindarin)
Description	Tower of Saruman inside the ring of Isengard
Constructed by	Gondor, during the time of Isildur
Realm(s)	Gondor  Calenardhon
Lord	Kings of Gondor later Stewards of Gondor later Kings of the Reunited Kingdom
Type	Fortress

Location of Orthanc and Isengard in Middle-earth marked in red

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Orthanc is the black tower of Isengard. Its name means both "Mount Fang" in Sindarin, and "Cunning Mind" in Old English, the language Tolkien uses to "translate" Rohirric. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE (January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973) was a South African-born, English philologist, writer and university professor who is best known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as well as many other works. ... A legendarium is a book or series of books consisting of a collection of legends. ... The tower of Isengard File links The following pages link to this file: Isengard ... The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy poster (2003) The Lord of the Rings film trilogy comprises three live action fantasy epic films; The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the... In the fictional world of Middle-earth by J. R. R. Tolkien, Rohirric is the language of the Rohirrim of Rohan. ... Sindarin is an artificial language (or conlang) developed by J. R. R. Tolkien. ... Location of Isengard in Middle-earth marked in red In J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional universe of Middle-earth, Isengard, a translation of the Sindarin Angrenost, was a large fortress. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth, Isildur was a Dúnadan of Númenor, elder son of Elendil. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle_earth, Calenardhon was the place which became Rohan. ... This is a list of Kings of Gondor from the fictional universe of Middle-earth by J. R. R. Tolkien. ... The Stewards of Gondor were rulers from J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium of Middle-earth. ... In the Literary Works of JRR Tolkien, the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor was established with the reunification of Arnor and Gondor. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2000x1887, 160 KB) Map shows location of w:Isengard in J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional world of Middle-earth marked in red. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2000x1887, 160 KB) Map shows location of w:Isengard in J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional world of Middle-earth marked in red. ... A map of the Northwestern part of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age, courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Arda. ... John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE (January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973) was a South African-born, English philologist, writer and university professor who is best known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as well as many other works. ... A fictional universe is a cohesive imaginary world that serves as the setting or backdrop for one or (more commonly) multiple works of fiction. ... A map of the Northwestern part of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age, courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Arda. ... Location of Isengard in Middle-earth marked in red In J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional universe of Middle-earth, Isengard, a translation of the Sindarin Angrenost, was a large fortress. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... In the fictional world of Middle-earth by J. R. R. Tolkien, Rohirric is the language of the Rohirrim of Rohan. ...

History

Orthanc was built during the end of Second Age by the men of Gondor out of a single piece of stone by an unknown process and then hardened. No known weapon could harm it. Orthanc rose up 500 feet (150 meters) above the plain of Isengard, and ended in four sharp peaks. Its only entrance was at the top of a high stair, and above that was a small window. The Second Age is a fictional time period from J. R. R. Tolkiens universe of Middle-earth. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Orthanc housed one of the palantíri of the South Kingdom, and was guarded by a special warden. In the days of the early Stewards the tower was locked and its keys taken to Minas Tirith. When Isengard fell to the Dunlendings in 2710 they were unable to enter the tower. A palantír is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional universe of Middle-earth. ...

When Beren, Steward of Gondor gave Isengard to Saruman, he also gave the keys to Orthanc to the Wizard. Saruman made it his base of operations during his search for the One Ring and later his attack on Rohan during the War of the Ring. After Saruman's defeat he was confronted by Théoden King, Gandalf and Aragorn, at which time Gríma Wormtongue, Saruman's servant, threw the palantír at the group in an attempt to kill them. Saruman was then locked in Orthanc and guarded by Treebeard, but subsequently escaped. Beren is in J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional universe of Middle-earth the nineteenth Ruling Steward of Gondor. ... The Stewards of Gondor were rulers from J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium of Middle-earth. ... Saruman is a character in J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium. ... In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Wizards of Middle-earth are a small group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. ... The One Ring, also known as the Ruling Ring, the Great Ring of Power, or Isildurs Bane, is an artifact from J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional Middle-earth universe. ... The banner of Rohan, as rendered in Peter Jacksons movies; the sun is an embellishment on the books description of a white horse upon green. Rohan (from Sindarin Rochand), is a fictional realm in J. R. R. Tolkiens fantasy era of Middle-earth. ... Combatants Free peoples: Gondor, Rohan, Dale, Esgaroth, Erebor, The Shire, Lothlórien, the Woodland Realm and the Fangorn forest Evil forces: Under Sauron: Mordor, Rhûn, Morgul, Harad, Umbar, Khand Under Saruman: Isengard, Dunland Commanders Gandalf (died but later resurrected) Aragorn Théoden† Éomer Denethor† Dáin II† Brand† Galadriel... In J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings, Théoden was the seventeenth King of Rohan, and last of the Second Line. ... For other uses, see Gandalf (disambiguation). ... Aragorn is an important character in J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens novel The Lord of the Rings, Gríma (Wormtongue) is the chief advisor to King Théoden of Rohan. ... Treebeard or (Sindarin) Fangorn is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth. ...

During the Fourth Age Orthanc was searched by King Elessar, and he found there many heirlooms of Isildur, among them the original Elendilmir, the Star of Arnor, which proved that Saruman had found (and probably destroyed) Isildur's remains. Aragorn also found there a casket which obviously had been intended to hold the One Ring. This article also concerns the later Ages of Middle-earth, after the Third Age The Fourth Age and the later ages that followed it, are fictional time periods from J. R. R. Tolkiens universe of Middle-earth. ... Aragorn is an important character in J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth, Isildur was a Dúnadan of Númenor, elder son of Elendil. ... In Tolkiens fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Star of Elendil was a white precious jewel (diamond?) worn by Elendil and his heirs, and then by the chieftains of the Dúnedain in Arnor. ... In the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien, Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. ...

Description

According to Tolkien, Orthanc's description: "a great ring-wall of stone, like towering cliffs, stood out from the shelter of the mountain-side, from which it ran and then returned again... one who passed in and came at length out of the echoing tunnel, beheld a plain, a great circle, somewhat hollowed like a vast shallow bowl: a mile it measured from rim to rim. Once it had been green and filled with avenues, and groves of fruitful trees, watered by streams that flowed from the mountains to a lake. But no green thing grew there in the latter days of Saruman. The roads were paved with stone-flags dark and hard; and beside their borders instead of trees there marched long lines of pillars, some of marble, some of copper and of iron, joined by heavy chains.

Tolkien's description of Orthanc continues: "...to the centre all the roads ran between their chains. There stood a tower of marvellous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of Men, but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills. A peak and isle of rock it was, black and gleaming hard: four mighty piers of many-sided stone were welded into one, but near the summit they opened into gaping horns, their pinnacles sharp as the points of spears, keen-edged as knives. Between them was a narrow space, and there upon a floor of polished stone, written with strange signs, a man might stand five hundred feet above the plain." The race of Men in J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth books, such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, refers to humanity and does not denote gender. ...