The White Towers - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Curulin · 01-06-2003, 11:32 AM

Does anyone know who dwelt on the Tower Hills, west of the shire, near the Grey Havens, and who built the White Towers that stood there? Its something thats always intrigued me, and i cant find anything about their origins or what they were used for. If anyone has anything, it would be great!
thanks, Curulin

Rumil · 01-06-2003, 01:06 PM

From memory (I'm sure some kind soul will correct me if i'm wrong [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ),

The white towers were built by Gil-galad, high king of the elves, for Elendil. They must therefore date back to the last centuries of the second age. One of the towers housed a palantir which had the peculiar property that it could only be used to see Valinor.

The towers seem to be the only elven architecture specifically built for men. Also, as Gil-galad obviously had the ability to build these towers as a gift, it makes me wonder what other grand structures had been built in Lindon. Its a shame that the Grey Havens are never described!

Curulin · 01-06-2003, 01:11 PM

Tell me about it! I'm dying to know what they're really like, as well as the rest of Gil-Galad and Cirdan's Kingdoms...
I knew there was a palantir that could see to Valinor, but i didn't know where it was situated, so thanks! Did it see to Tol Erresea or Tirion?
At the time of Lord of the Rings, in the third age, were the towers abandonned, or were they still inhabited by men (or hobbits [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] )?

zacattack · 01-06-2003, 08:57 PM

I beleive that the Palantir situated in the Towers could only see Tol Eressea and not Tirion because it is descried as seeing mostly sea

doug*platypus · 01-08-2003, 05:12 AM

I think that the Palantír could see to the Tower of Elostirion on Tol Eressëa, where it is said the "Master Stone" was kept. The answer is definitely in Unfinished Tales.

I think the White Towers were mainly built as watchtowers, like the one on Amon Sûl/Weathertop. Probably there were only ever a few people living there at any time. Maybe they worked on rotation, sometimes living in the cities of Arnor, in the same way that Gondor kept watchers on the beacon hills. The White Towers sound nice though, don't they?

drigel · 01-08-2003, 09:00 AM

I probably am wrong but didnt they (White Towers) get built by the faithfull Dunedain of Arnor? I thought the only significant elvish structures were at Imladris and the Havens... [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

Inderjit Sanghera · 01-08-2003, 02:29 PM

Nope, they were raised by Gil-Galad, son of Orodreth, for Elendil, his friend. BTW, Curulin, haven't you taken your name from a Dragonball Z character? The bald, anoyying one, to be exact.

Curulin · 01-08-2003, 03:34 PM

HeHe, no. I've only ever watched Dragon Balls Z once, and it was in a language i didn't understand. My name means "pool of skill" in Elvish, its a bit big-headed of me.... Thanks for your interest!

01-06-2003, 11:32 AM	#1
Curulin Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The woods of Orome. Posts: 58	The White Towers Does anyone know who dwelt on the Tower Hills, west of the shire, near the Grey Havens, and who built the White Towers that stood there? Its something thats always intrigued me, and i cant find anything about their origins or what they were used for. If anyone has anything, it would be great! thanks, Curulin __________________ Well, I'm back.

01-06-2003, 01:06 PM	#2
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	From memory (I'm sure some kind soul will correct me if i'm wrong [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ), The white towers were built by Gil-galad, high king of the elves, for Elendil. They must therefore date back to the last centuries of the second age. One of the towers housed a palantir which had the peculiar property that it could only be used to see Valinor. The towers seem to be the only elven architecture specifically built for men. Also, as Gil-galad obviously had the ability to build these towers as a gift, it makes me wonder what other grand structures had been built in Lindon. Its a shame that the Grey Havens are never described! __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

01-06-2003, 01:11 PM	#3
Curulin Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The woods of Orome. Posts: 58	Tell me about it! I'm dying to know what they're really like, as well as the rest of Gil-Galad and Cirdan's Kingdoms... I knew there was a palantir that could see to Valinor, but i didn't know where it was situated, so thanks! Did it see to Tol Erresea or Tirion? At the time of Lord of the Rings, in the third age, were the towers abandonned, or were they still inhabited by men (or hobbits [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] )? __________________ Well, I'm back.

01-06-2003, 08:57 PM	#4
zacattack Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Angband Posts: 70	I beleive that the Palantir situated in the Towers could only see Tol Eressea and not Tirion because it is descried as seeing mostly sea __________________ "The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark "What an excellent spot I choose"-Gimli "Would you like me to describe it to you or just fetch for a box"-Legolas

01-08-2003, 05:12 AM	#5
doug*platypus Delver in the Deep Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 963	I think that the Palantír could see to the Tower of Elostirion on Tol Eressëa, where it is said the "Master Stone" was kept. The answer is definitely in Unfinished Tales. I think the White Towers were mainly built as watchtowers, like the one on Amon Sûl/Weathertop. Probably there were only ever a few people living there at any time. Maybe they worked on rotation, sometimes living in the cities of Arnor, in the same way that Gondor kept watchers on the beacon hills. The White Towers sound nice though, don't they? __________________ But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name'.

01-08-2003, 09:00 AM	#6
drigel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: commonplace city Posts: 518	I probably am wrong but didnt they (White Towers) get built by the faithfull Dunedain of Arnor? I thought the only significant elvish structures were at Imladris and the Havens... [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

01-08-2003, 02:29 PM	#7
Inderjit Sanghera Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wolverhampton, England Posts: 716	Nope, they were raised by Gil-Galad, son of Orodreth, for Elendil, his friend. BTW, Curulin, haven't you taken your name from a Dragonball Z character? The bald, anoyying one, to be exact. __________________ “If I’m more of an influence on your son as a rapper then you are as a father then you've got to look at yourself as a parent” ~>Ice Cube. "Life is so beautiful"->Don Vito Corleone

01-08-2003, 03:34 PM	#8
Curulin Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The woods of Orome. Posts: 58	HeHe, no. I've only ever watched Dragon Balls Z once, and it was in a language i didn't understand. My name means "pool of skill" in Elvish, its a bit big-headed of me.... Thanks for your interest! __________________ Well, I'm back.