Minor Places in Middle-earth - O

O

Old Ford

The point where the Old Forest Road crossed the River Anduin, about forty miles (sixty-four kilometres) downriver from the Carrock. In older times, the river was crossed by a stone bridge here, but by the end of the Third Age, the bridge had long since disappeared, and the crossing was no more than a simple ford.

Old Púkel Land

See Drúwaith Iaur

Osgiliath

A city of Middle-earth, the old capital city of Gondor. Osgiliath is a Sindarin word that means Citadel of the Host of Stars. Founded by Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anárion at the end of the Second Age, Osgiliath was located on either side of the Great River Anduin. Osgiliath was burned during the Kin-strife, later being struck by the Great Plague. The half-ruined city was completely abandoned in T.A. 2475 when Uruks from Mordor invaded Ithilien and destroyed the city's great bridge. They were driven back by Boromir, son of Denethor I.

Osgiliath was the scene of some of the earliest fighting in the War of the Ring, when in 3018, Sauron's forces attacked and captured East Osgiliath. The orcs were driven back from the western shore by Boromir and the last bridge was thrown down. During the assault on Gondor, the army of Sauron again attacked the western city and after overcoming the defence, surrounded Minas Tirith, beginning the siege of Gondor and leading directly into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. In Peter Jackson's film of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Faramir takes Frodo, Sam and Gollum to Osgiliath, where they witness a battle. This does not occur in the book.