Skip to content
Map Middle-earth
en

Region · Gondor

Ithilien

Gondor's garden province east of the Anduin, emptied when Minas Ithil was lost

View on map Gondor
Appears in
The Lord of the Rings
Region
Gondor
Ithilien on the map of Middle-earth

Ithilien is the strip of Gondor on the far side of the Great River, with the Anduin on the west and the Ephel Duath rising on the east. Osgiliath faces it across the water, the Cross-roads sit at its center, and the road from there climbs east to Minas Morgul and the pass above it.

The province kept its trees and gardens long after it stopped being safe. Frodo and Sam walked through groves of tamarisk, olive, bay and terebinth, and Sam cooked rabbits with herbs he found growing wild. Even under Sauron's shadow the land was described as ragged but still beautiful.

Its decline began when the Nazgul took Minas Ithil in TA 2002 and turned it into Minas Morgul. Settlers moved west across the river, and the eruption of Mount Doom in TA 2954 drove out the last of them. From then on Gondor held Ithilien only with patrols out of Henneth Annun.

In TA 3019 it saw a great deal of traffic: Faramir's ambush of the Southrons and their oliphaunt, Frodo and Sam's road to the Cross-roads, and the march of Aragorn's host north to the Morannon.

After the war, King Elessar gave Ithilien to Faramir as Prince of Ithilien. He and Eowyn settled at Emyn Arnen on the hills opposite Minas Tirith, and the province was cleaned of orcs and resettled.

Events at this place

  1. TA 1944 · Appendices

    The Battle of the Camp

    After the Wainriders had killed King Ondoher, Eärnil came north with the victorious Southern Army, fell on their camp while they were feasting, and destroyed their host.

  2. TA 2002 · Appendices

    Minas Ithil is taken

    The Nazgul captured the city and Ithilien began to empty as Gondor's people moved west of the Anduin.

  3. TA 3019, March 7 · The Lord of the Rings

    Faramir ambushes the Southrons

    The rangers attacked a Haradrim column on the southward road while Frodo and Sam watched from cover, and an oliphaunt broke loose.

  4. TA 3019, May 2 · The Lord of the Rings

    Faramir made Prince of Ithilien

    King Elessar granted the province to Faramir, who settled with Eowyn at Emyn Arnen and restored the land.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Ithilien on the Middle-earth map?

East of the Anduin, between the river and the Mountains of Shadow, running from Cair Andros south to the river Poros.

Why was Ithilien abandoned?

The fall of Minas Ithil to the Nazgul in TA 2002 made it unsafe, and the eruption of Mount Doom in TA 2954 drove out the last settlers.

Who ruled Ithilien after the War of the Ring?

Faramir, appointed Prince of Ithilien by King Elessar, living at Emyn Arnen with Eowyn of Rohan.