Cirith Ungol
Cirith Ungol appears in The Lord of the Rings.
Cirith Ungol, a treacherous pass in the Ephel Dúath Mountains of Shadow, emerges in The Lord of the Rings as the perilous gateway into Mordor, guarded by the foreboding Tower of Cirith Ungol. First referenced in The Two Towers as Gollum's secretive path for Frodo and Sam's quest, it becomes central in The Return of the King, where the hobbits traverse its steep cleft amid Shelob's deadly lair. The site's evolution culminates in a brutal orc skirmish at the tower, enabling Sam's heroic rescue of Frodo and their fraught advance toward Mount Doom.
History
The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of the Lord of the Rings
The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
Steep narrow cleft and pass in the Mountains of Shadow, guarded by the Tower of Cirith Ungol and leading into Mordor. Traversed by Frodo, Sam, and Gollum.
Book Appearances
The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of the Lord of the Rings
First appears Ch 19
The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
First appears Ch 11