Middle-Earth Tours

Tour 2: The Places of Middle-Earth

Morgul Pass
A long-tilted valley, a deep gulf of shadow, ran back far into the mountains. Upon the further side, some way within the valley's arms, high on a rocky seat upon the black knees of the Ephel Dúath, stood the walls and tower of Minas Morgul. All was dark about it, earth and sky, but it was lit with light. Not the imprisoned moonlight welling through the walls of Minas Ithil long ago, Tower of the Moon, fair and radiant in the hollow of the hills. Paler indeed than the moon ailing in some slow eclipse was the light of it now, wavering and blowing like a noisome exhalation of decay, a corpse-light, a light that illuminated nothing. In the walls and tower windows showed, like countless black holes looking inward into emptiness; but the topmost course of the tower revolved slowly, first one way and then another, a huge ghostly head leering into the night....
     So they came slowly to the white bridge. Here the road, gleaming faintly, passed over the steam in the midst of the valley, and went on, winding deviously up towards the city's gate: a black mouth opening in the outer circle of the northward walls. Wide flats lay on either bank, shadowy meads filled with pale white flowers. Luminous these were too, beautiful and yet horrible of shape, like the demented forms in an uneasy dream; and they gave forth a faint sickening charnel-smell; an odour of rottenness filled the air. From mead to mead the bridge sprang. Figures stood there at its head, carven with cunning in forms human and bestial, but all corrupt and loathsome. The water flowing beneath was silent, and it steamed, but the vapour that rose from it, curling and twisting about the bridge, was deadly cold. --TTT, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol"
The Vale of Morgul, by Alan Lee

Minas Morgul, by Rob Alexander

At last, some worthy pictures of Minas Morgul!
Minas Morgul, by Alan Lee
Tower of the Moon, by Ted Nasmith
As the terrible cry ended, falling back through a long sickening wail to silence, Frodo slowly raised his head. Across the narrow valley, now almost on a level with his eyes, the walls of the evil city stood, and its cavernous gate, shaped like an open mouth with gleaming teeth, was gaping wide. And out of the gate an army came.
    All the host was clad in sable, dark as the night. Against the wan walls and luminous pavement of the road Frodo could see them, small black figures in rank upon rank, marching swiftly and silently, passing outwards in an endless stream. --TTT, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol"
image from the second commercial, available on the official movie site

image from the RotK Visual Companion

 So they came slowly to the white bridge. Here the road, gleaming faintly, passed over the stream in the midst of the valley, and went on, winding deviously up toward the city's gate: a black mouth opening in the outer circle of the northward walls....Frodo felt his senses reeling and his mind darkening. Then suddenly, as if some force were at work other than his own will, he began to hurry, tottering forward, his groping hands held out, his head lolling from side to side. Both Sam and Gollum ran after him. Sam caught his mater in his arms, as he stumbled and almost fell, right on the threshold of the bridge. --TTT, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol"

Shelob's Lair, by Rob Alexander		 Click on the links at left or right to visit Shelob's Lair and Cirith Ungol.
Cirith Ungol, by Rob Alexander
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien, the official LotR movie site, and theonering.net.