At the peak of the tiered city of Minas Tirith, the highest of its seven levels formed the High City, a walled and guarded city-within-a-city that formed the Citadel of Gondor. From the sixth level, a ramp led up to the seventh tier through a tunnel carved from the rock on which Minas Tirith stood. That tunnel led out onto the wide plaza of the High City, dominated by the immense White Tower.

That White Tower had been raised by King Calimehtar more than a thousand years before the War of the Ring, and was rebuilt by Steward Ecthelion I in III 2698, rising fifty fathoms (three hundred feet, or about ninety-one metres) above even the High City. Before it, and much more ancient, stood the White Tree of Minas Tirith. The original White Tree had been planted in the heights of Minas Anor (as Minas Tirith was known in its early years) by Isildur himself. That tree lived for more than a thousand years, and was replaced by another of the same line. When that second White Tree died, no replacement could be found and so, at the time of the War of the Ring, a Dead Tree had stood in the courts of the High City for nearly a hundred and fifty years.

The High City was protected by a wall running around its circle, guarded by seven towers. Within the wall, as well as the White Tower, were other structures. Northward of the White Tower was the feasting hall of Merethrond, while westward was the house where the Kings had dwelt.¹

History and Tradition

The High City had not always been the seat of power in Gondor. Isildur had planted the White Tree there in memory of his brother Anárion, but the early Kings ruled from Osgiliath rather than Minas Anor. It was not until the time of King Ostoher (who ruled III 411 - III 492) that the Kings began to use the city as a summer residence. Ostoher rebuilt Minas Anor, and so it was perhaps at this time that the City's topmost circle became a Citadel holding the King's throne. More than a thousand years would pass until Minas Anor became the sole royal city of the realm, during the rule of King Tarondor (whose long reign lasted between III 1636 and III 1798).

The High City had been the seat of the rulers of Gondor since the days of its Kings, and the Hall of the Kings within the White Tower held the royal throne of Gondor. After the loss of the last King, the line of the Ruling Stewards followed tradition and kept their seat in the Hall of the Kings, but they did not use the old throne of the Kings.

The Citadel had its own Guards, who had their own unique livery and arms. Each bore a black surcoat with the emblems of Elendil the founder the of the realm: a silver tree with a crown above. Their helms were made of mithril, bearing the shaped wings of seabirds. After Tarondor's great-grandson Calimehtar first raised the White Tower within the High City, these Guards of the Citadel became known as the Guard of the Tower of Gondor.

The importance of the High City in the succession of the rulers of Gondor was seen after the War of the Ring, when the entrance of the new King Aragorn Elessar into the Citadel, and the unfurling of his banner on the White Tower, was seen as marking the true beginning of his reign. At Midsummer of the same year, III 3019, Elessar wedded his Queen, Arwen, in the High City. At this time, the ending of the Third Age, the High City had looked over the plains of Gondor for more than three thousand years, and it would continue to do so into the new Fourth Age.