Talk:Barad-dûr

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[edit] Needs improvement

Hmm, this really needs improvement (by someone with way more knowledge of the subject than I). It would be nice if someone could add:

1. whether Sauron built the tower himself (or was it one of those Numenorian ones that I read about somewhere)
2. what the name means in english
3. a rather better description of where it actually was
4. (stretching it a bit) what was it for (i.e. why didn't Sauron live in a normal house, like everyone else)?

1-Sauron built the tower himself, or rather, had his slaves do it for him.

2-"dark tower", as indicated

3- Very good question. The film has it much closer to the Black Gate than Tolkien's maps would indicate. I'll update with information from The Encyclopedia of Arda.

Barad-dûr was located on the western end of the southern (incomplete) mountain wall that fences of Gorgoroth from Núrnen. Thus not exactly close to the Morannon.

4-It was Sauron's favorite fortress, apparently. He seems to have liked towers. See Dol Guldur. More seriously, it was really enormously high and therefore a good place to keep his ceaseless watch on Middle-earth. --[[User:Aranel|Aranel ("Sarah")]] 00:20, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Also, Barad-dûr was built using the power of the Ring, and therefore it was a part of Sauron's being as much as the Ring. Only in Barad-dûr and with the Ring was Sauron his complete self again (he had diluted himself). [[User:Anárion|]] 07:57, 6 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Sauron also probably didn't want to appear normal, he wanted to appear as frightning and omnimous as possible. So where he lives reflects that. A normal house does not appear frightning, unless its haunted, in which case it is no longer normal.

[edit] Don't Forget

What about entries on other "fortresses" featured in LOTR like Helm's Deep and Minas Tirith or if they are already in existence why are they not in this sub-category as well?

Also - maybe an article on the Death Star, yet another well-known fictional fortress? ewok37 08:37, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Infobox and Picture

I have added an infobox. Also, the very misguiding picture (it would have you believe Mount Doom was across the street from Barad-dur!) has been moved lower down in the article to the Portrayal in Adaptations section, where it belongs. --Barnikel 08:03, 13 May 2006 (UTC)