Osgiliath

(oz gul LY ith)N A former royal capital of the Kingdom of Gondor. Osgiliath occupied both banks of the Anduin River in Gondor, situated between Minas Anor (aka Minas Tirith) in the west and Minas Ithil (aka Minas Morgul) in the east. The ancient city of Osgiliath was the jewel of the kingdom of Gondor, a center of culture and great beauty. Large, graceful bridges spanned the river and connected its two halves, one of the seven palantiri of the kingdom was kept there. When Sauron returned to power and captured Minas Ithil, Osgiliath had already been in decline. Repeated attacks upon the city by the Nazgul and other followers of Sauron did not help matters. In the battles over the city, its bridges and great buildings were destroyed and control was divided between the west bank and the east bank. Eventually the city was abandoned and the capital moved to Minas Anor, but it remained an army outpost and a major point of contention between Mordor and Gondor. Even after the War of the Ring, it is unknown whether the city was rebuilt or not, though its abandoned ruins alone would have been a significant draw for many visitors to the area.