Anórien

Anórien
Flag of the Stewards of Gondor

Anórien (the 'Sun land') is a region in northern Gondor.

Summary

Main article: History of Anórien

During the First Age, the Drúedain, or Púkel-men, fled into the forests of Anórien after being hunted by men from the East. They would survive in these forests into the Fourth Age. By the end of the Second Age, after the fall of Númenór, the region was given to Anárion as part of the Realms in Exile and was named 'Anórien' after him. Anárion built Minas Anor, the future Minas Tirith on Amon Tirith of the Mindolluin. In the Third Age, people from Anórien sided with Eldacar against Castamir in the Kin-strife. By T.A. 3006, Anórien was the most northerly fiefdom of Gondor. It has become increasingly deserted due to plagues and the threat from Mordor. Nowadays, Anórien is one of the few fiefs which was dominated by the Dúnedain of Gondor; specifically, in Minas Tirith and the adjacent townlands where Sindarin is still known and used as a daily language.

Its more prominent settlements include:

• Minas Tirith - the 'Tower of the Guard', Capital of Anórien and of the Realm of Gondor
• Cair Andros - 'Ship of Long Foam', a fortified island in the Anduin that protects Anórien's northeastern border
• Lisclorn - 'Harbour at the Reeds', a bustling town on the bank of the Anduin, and the main hub of trade with Rohan
• Tâl-Rimmon - 'Foot of Mount Rimmon', a small village in the foothills of Ered Nimrais

Climate and ecology

The climate of Anórien is temperate continental. Temperatures throughout the year average a daily high of 20°C and a low of 11°C.

Compared to the rest of Gondor, Anórien is cooler and more humid. Its natural vegetation zones would be as follows:

• K6 - South Apeninne-Dinaric-Greek Balkan pine forests (Pinus heldreichii) with Sesleria autumnalis, partly Helleborus multifidus subsp. serbicus, Bruckenthalia spiculifolia, with Peltaria emarginata on carbonate and ophiolite rocks
• L13 - Danubian herb-grass steppes (Stipa lessingiana, Festuca valesiaca) with Delphinium fissum, Campanula macrostachya and Chrysopogon gryllus alternating with grey oak and downy oak forests (Quercus pedunculiflora, Quercus pubescens)
• M5 - West and central Pontic herb-grass steppes (Stipa ucrainica, Stipa lessingiana) with Caragana mollis, in the Dobrudscha alternating with rock communities
• U20 - Danubian willow and poplar alluvial forests (Salix alba, Populus alba, Populus nigra)