Dome of Stars

The Tower of the Dome^[1] of Stars was a great domed hall that was built by Isildur and Anárion on the bridge of Osgiliath,^[2] the capital city of Gondor before its ruin.

History[]

The Tower of the Dome of Stars was built in Osgiliath on top of the bridge that crossed the river Anduin. Under the great dome were the thrones of the two kings and subsequently the Kings of Gondor. This was also where the Master Stone of Osgiliath, the chief palantír of Gondor, was kept.^[3]

The tower was destroyed in TA 1437 when Castamir the Usurper and his men besieged and burned Osgiliath during the Kin-strife.^[1]

The palantír kept inside it was forever lost beneath surface of the river Anduin,^[4] in TA 1437.^[1][5]

Speculation[]

The names "Tower of the Dome" and "Dome of Stars" may possibly be two short names for the longer name "Tower of the Dome of Stars".

It is also not entirely clear whether the Tower and Dome where the same structure. J.R.R. Tolkien is not particularly clear on the subject, stating that the palantír rested 'under the Dome of Stars' without mentioning a tower.

Translations[]

References[]