Place in Arda a view of Cirith Ungol from www.lotrscenerybuilder.org
Name	Cirith Ungol
Other Names	Cirith Dúath
Description	fortess of Mordor
Constructed By	Men of Gondor
Realm	Gondor  Ithilien
Lord	Kings of Gondor, later Lord of Mordor
Type	Tower, fortification
Lifespan	Third Age-Fourth Age

Cirith Ungol is a location in Middle-Earth near Minas Morgul. (pronounced Keerith Oongoll) is Sindarin for Spider's (Shelob's) Cleft; it is the pass through the western mountains of Mordor and parallels the Morgul-Road into Gondor to some degree. It was guarded by the Tower of Cirith Ungol, built by the Men of Gondor after the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men was fought. Another name for Cirith Ungol is Cirith Dúath. It is not known whether the pass and the tower were called Cirith Ungol when the Men of Gondor held it, though it is likely since Shelob "...was there before Sauron, and before the first stone of Barad-dûr" was laid.

The pass was reached by several sets of steep stairs leading from close by Minas Morgul along the north cliff-face of Morgul Vale and through a tunnel high in the mountains, with other steep stretches that lacked stairs. Eventually, the path ran straight into Shelob's lair, though many side-tunnels had been carved by Orcs and Men to get past her webs.

The principal purpose of the sturdy Gondorian tower was to defend Ithilien from attacks from Sauron's remaining servants. For this reason its two bastions were directed to the north and south-east. It also served to stop Sauron's servants from returning to Mordor through the pass.

Gondor occupied the fortress until TA 1636 when the Great Plague killed much of Gondor's population. After the Plague, Gondor again occupied Cirith Ungol but they were eventually distracted by the Wainriderss, and evil was allowed to return to Mordor. The tower was

likely occupied by evil forces before Minas Ithil was besieged in TA 2000.

The fortress was associated with the mountain fortress of Durthang in Northwestern Mordor, and the Towers of the Teeth at the Morännon. All were part of a Gondorian defensive scheme that proved too costly to maintain.

During the Quest of the Ring, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee were led to this pass by Gollum to the lair of the ancient spider Shelob. At this time, there were also three-headed creatures (statues?) that "watched" the exit into Mordor and which could not be passed by mortals. Only through use of the Phial of Galadriel could the ring-bearer and his servant break these entities' will and enter Mordor proper.

Games Edit

In the Battle for Middle Earth videogame series the denominations Cirith Ungol and Minas Morgul are falsely used interchangeably to describe a single fortress.

In the Return of the King video game, you may play as Sam who has to kill 80 orcs and then may progress to the tower where you fight Gorbag and rescue Frodo.