This movie series is a fantasy film based on the classic books written by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.
These writings are often referred to as the Tolkien’s books (The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings). Basically, Tolkien’s books revolve around the people, culture, and creatures of the middle-earth.
During the making of the movie series, The Lord of the Rings, a number of mysterious and magnificent buildings were showcased – which brought out a clear picture of the author’s imagination.
Here are some of the wondrous architectural works of middle-earth that were staged in The Lord of the Rings:
- Black gate
This structure served as the main entry point into Sauron’s territory, Mordor. Built on the northwestern edge of Mordor, the black gate stood at the base of Ash Mountains and Mountains of Shadow.
The path created by these two mountains was named Cirith Gorgor, meaning the haunted pass. In the foothills of Ash Mountains and Mountains of Shadow was the Towers of the teeth.
These two towers (Charcot and Narchost) were placed on the sides of the massive gate and normally functioned as overwatch stations for Saruman’s forces.
This structure was highly guarded as it was evident in the scene where Frodo and Samwise had come upon it in an attempt to get into Mordor.
- The Argonath
Built to resemble Elendil heirs – Isildur and Anarion, the Argonath were two statues that stood on the sides of the great river called Anduin.
At the edge of Gondor, the river flowed through a deep valley right before emptying its waters in Lake Nin Hotel. The Argonath was within this valley just a distance before the river’s mouth.
The Argonath faced the north where the river was flowing from. Each statue raised its left hand making an impeding gesture. Their heads were dressed in a helm and a crown with the right hand holding an ax.
Their faces wore a forbidding impression meant to send out reverence. Their entire body language certainly asserted authority.
- Stone of Erech
A massive black spherical stone that was half-buried at the pinnacle of Erech hill. It is by this stone that the king of the dead and his fellow subjects were cursed.
The section of the stone that was exposed measured around five feet which is the average height of a typical man.
Before the curse, the king of the dead and his subjects were once normal men. They inhabited the White Mountains henceforth were identifies as the Men of the mountains.
The king of the mountains was indebted to Isildur, therefore pledged allegiance upon the Stone of Erech to provide aid against Sauron’s brigade.
When the time came, the king and his subjects broke the vow and were cursed by Isildur upon the same stone until the time they will fulfill the vow.
- The Two watchers
These were inanimate statues placed on either side of the entrance that led into the tower of Cirith Ungol, one of the overwatch towers at the border of Mordor. It supervised the Cirith Ungol pass.
Each statue was carved from three skeleton-like creatures that resembled vultures. Each head faced its own direction to form a complete field of view at the gate, the courtyard, and the entryway.
These two statues are seen briefly in the Lord of the Rings when Samwise goes to save Frodo atop the tower of Cirith Ungol.
- Rammas Echor
Rammas Echor was the outermost wall that surrounded Minas Tirith, previously known as Minas Anor.
It was the most fully-fledged city in Gondor. This great city sat right at the foot of Mount Mindolluin with a small portion of the mountain being embedded into the city.
The wall formed a wide curve that stretched from Mount Mindolluin to the banks of river Anduin. It also enclosed the Pelennor fields, which were vast crop and pasture land.
The placement of the wall was not symmetrical to the city itself, unlike the smaller walls forming circles as the city ascends.
Each level was set back from the previous level forming a step-like arrangement. The northeastern section of the wall was the one furthest from the city and was the most fortified.