Minas Morgul: The Tower Evil Stole | Tolkien Deep Dive

Minas Morgul embodies Tolkien's central principle that evil cannot create, only corrupt. Originally Minas Ithil, the radiant Tower of the Moon built by Isildur in 3320 SA, this fortress of white marble was designed to catch moonlight and guard Gondor's eastern border. After the Great Plague weakened its defenses, the Nazgûl besieged it for two years before capturing it in 3002 TA. The Witch-king transformed it into the Tower of Sorcery through systematic desecration: the moonlight became corpse-light that illuminated nothing, the revolving tower became a leering head, the gate a mouth with teeth, and poisonous flowers replaced gardens. For over a thousand years, Minas Morgul served as the Witch-king's stronghold where he tortured King Eärnur and from which he launched the assault on Minas Tirith. Yet the fortress fell not through military might but through eucatastrophe - the chain of mercy from Bilbo to Frodo to Gollum that led to the Ring's destruction. After Sauron's defeat, Aragorn decreed the city be destroyed and left uninhabited for ages, acknowledging that some desecrations require centuries to heal.