Minas Tirith is the fictional city called the City of Kings in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
The city stands in Gondor beneath Mount Mindolluin and is built in seven ascending levels. Its name means “Tower of Guard” in Sindarin. It was originally called Minas Anor, or “Tower of the Sun,” and became Gondor’s capital after the former capital, Osgiliath, declined during the long conflict with Sauron.
Minas Tirith is the scene of the great siege in The Return of the King. Its white walls, citadel, and seven gates make it one of Tolkien’s most carefully described locations. Minas Morgul is its hostile counterpart, formerly called Minas Ithil, while Edoras is the capital of Rohan. These similar names can make the cities easy to confuse.