

The Argonath, also known as The Gates of Argonath or The Pillars of Kings, was a great monument of Gondor.

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Description

The monument was comprised of two enormous statues carved in the likenesses of Isildur and Anárion, standing upon either side of the River Anduin at the northern entrance to Nen Hithoel. It marked the northern border of Gondor, and nearby to the south were previous outposts, Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw.

Each of the two figures bore a crown and a helm, with an axe in its right hand and its left hand respectively, raised in a gesture of defiance to the enemies of Gondor.[1]

History

The Argonath was originally constructed after the year TA 1248 at the order of Rómendacil II to commemorate his victory over the Easterlings and to mark the northern border of Gondor.[2]

By the time the Fellowship of the Ring passed the monument on February 25, 3019, the realm of Gondor had diminished, leaving the Argonath far outside its boundaries.[1]

Portrayal in adaptations

The Fellowship of the Ring (film)

In Peter Jackson's movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the Argonath is comprising two large and highly detailed models, which are combined with live action footage and digital backgrounds to convey the proper sense of scale. Unlike in the book, in the movie the Argonath appears to portray Isildur and his father Elendil (shown holding a sword, not an axe, as portrayed during the film's prologue). Anárion was removed entirely from the films. Also seen in the movie is the quarry near one of the statues' feet, which the filmmakers reasoned would be necessary to provide stone blocks for the construction of the statues' uppermost sections.

The Lord of the Rings online

The Argonath also appear in The Lord of the Rings Online, portrayed similarly to their appearance in the Peter Jackson films.

Translations

Foreign Language Translated name Greek Άργκοναθ Hebrew ארגונאת Persian آرگونات Russian Аргонат Ukrainian Cyrillic Аргонат