The White Towers
 

Does anyone know who dwelt on the Tower Hills, west of the shire, near the Grey Havens, and who built the White Towers that stood there? Its something thats always intrigued me, and i cant find anything about their origins or what they were used for. If anyone has anything, it would be great!
thanks, Curulin

From memory (I'm sure some kind soul will correct me if i'm wrong [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ),

The white towers were built by Gil-galad, high king of the elves, for Elendil. They must therefore date back to the last centuries of the second age. One of the towers housed a palantir which had the peculiar property that it could only be used to see Valinor.

The towers seem to be the only elven architecture specifically built for men. Also, as Gil-galad obviously had the ability to build these towers as a gift, it makes me wonder what other grand structures had been built in Lindon. Its a shame that the Grey Havens are never described!

Tell me about it! I'm dying to know what they're really like, as well as the rest of Gil-Galad and Cirdan's Kingdoms...
I knew there was a palantir that could see to Valinor, but i didn't know where it was situated, so thanks! Did it see to Tol Erresea or Tirion?
At the time of Lord of the Rings, in the third age, were the towers abandonned, or were they still inhabited by men (or hobbits [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] )?

I beleive that the Palantir situated in the Towers could only see Tol Eressea and not Tirion because it is descried as seeing mostly sea

I think that the Palantír could see to the Tower of Elostirion on Tol Eressëa, where it is said the "Master Stone" was kept. The answer is definitely in Unfinished Tales.

I think the White Towers were mainly built as watchtowers, like the one on Amon Sûl/Weathertop. Probably there were only ever a few people living there at any time. Maybe they worked on rotation, sometimes living in the cities of Arnor, in the same way that Gondor kept watchers on the beacon hills. The White Towers sound nice though, don't they?

I probably am wrong but didnt they (White Towers) get built by the faithfull Dunedain of Arnor? I thought the only significant elvish structures were at Imladris and the Havens... [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

Nope, they were raised by Gil-Galad, son of Orodreth, for Elendil, his friend. BTW, Curulin, haven't you taken your name from a Dragonball Z character? The bald, anoyying one, to be exact.

HeHe, no. I've only ever watched Dragon Balls Z once, and it was in a language i didn't understand. My name means "pool of skill" in Elvish, its a bit big-headed of me.... Thanks for your interest!