Cirith Ungol

Also known as the Cleft

canyon

Cirith Ungol appears in The Lord of the Rings.

Type: canyon
First appears: Book 2 · Ch. 19
Books: 2

Cirith Ungol first appears in The Two Towers as a looming, ominous presence in the Ephel Dúath, a perilous pass that Frodo and Sam must navigate to reach Mordor. By The Return of the King, the pass transforms from a mere geographical obstacle into a site of intense drama and conflict, where Shelob's lair, the orc-tower, and the climactic escape of the hobbits unfold. Across the series, Cirith Ungol evolves from a shadowy threshold into a crucible of danger, betrayal, and desperate heroism, marking the final threshold before the heart of Sauron's realm.

History

BOOK 2The Two Towers: Being the Second Part of the Lord of the Rings
BOOK 3The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings
A high, treacherous cleft through the sheer black cliffs and pinnacles of the Ephel Dúath. Horns of stone flank the narrow summit, and the orc-tower watches the pass.