Annúminas

Infobox LOTR place
place_name = "Annúminas" (West Tower)
place_alias = none
place_description= Seat of the High Kings of Arnor
place_built= Elendil the Tall
place_type = Capital City
place_realm = Arnor
place_sub_realm =
place_time = ME-date|SA|3429–ME-date|TA|861
place_lord = High King of Arnor King of Arthedain

In the legendarium of J. R. R. Tolkien, Annúminas (Sindarin: "West Tower" or "Sunset Tower") is a city of Middle-earth.

The city was once the capital of Arnor, on the shores of Lake Evendim in the north of Eriador. The city was founded by Elendil near where the lake gives rise to the Baranduin (Brandywine) River. It survived for nearly a thousand years. In the early days of Arnor, it was one of the glories of Middle-earth. Soon after its founding, though, the numbers of the Dúnedain of the North began to dwindle. The population of Annúminas seems to have fallen throughout its history, until it became deserted when Arnor was divided in 861 and the kings removed to Fornost to the east. It once held one of the "palantíri", when Annúminas was abandoned and the Kings moved to Fornost, they took the "palantír" with them. This stone was also lost when Arvedui, the last King of Arnor, was shipwrecked in the Ice-bay of Forochel in 1975.

At the time of the War of the Ring, Annúminas had lain in ruins for more than 2,000 years. There are hints in Tolkien's writings, however, that King Elessar, the coronation name of Aragorn, refounded the city and may even have made it his northern capital early in the Fourth Age. He went to live there in ME-date|FA|17.

When Elrond first travelled to Gondor in the dawn of the Fourth Age to give Arwen to the new King as his bride, he also gave him the Sceptre of Annúminas, the symbol of royalty of Arnor.

In the Lord of the Rings Online video game, Annúminas was conquered by the evil Amarthiel, who wanted to make it the capital of her kingdom in the North. A war between the Dúnedain and the armies of Angmar remains undecided.