The Lord of the Rings · Location
Orthanc
- tower
- crude orc fortress tower
Orthanc appears in The Lord of the Rings.
- Type
- tower
- Style
- crude orc fortress tower
- First appears
- Book 2 · Ch. 8
- Books
- 2
Orthanc, the black tower at the heart of Isengard, begins the series as the seat of Saruman’s industrial power and ends it as a silent monument reclaimed by nature. In The Two Towers it is the fortress from which Saruman launches his war against Rohan, but by The Return of the King the Ents have toppled its outer works and planted the Treegarth around its base, leaving the tower itself untouched yet utterly isolated. Across the narrative, Orthanc shifts from a symbol of domination to one of defeat and quiet endurance, its sheer walls now framing a garden rather than a war-host.
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
The black tower standing at the heart of Isengard, sheer and unyielding. It is recalled as the Tower of Orthanc beside the Treegarth the Ents have made.
Key events
- Book 2
Ch. 5The Ents March on IsengardMerry and Pippin meet Treebeard in Fangorn. After hearing of Saruman's deforestation, the Ents hold an Entmoot and march to war. They destroy Isengard's walls, flood the valley with Huorns' aid, and trap Saruman in Orthanc. - Book 2
Ch. 11Saruman Cast from the OrderAt ruined Isengard, Gandalf confronts Saruman at Orthanc. Saruman's mesmerizing voice nearly sways Théoden, but Gandalf—now the White—breaks his staff, casting him from the order and leaving him imprisoned in his tower.
Appearances
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