Minas Tirith
At the time of the War of the Ring, Minas Tirith, the first city of Gondor, was a formidable hill-fortress built on seven levels. Each level was terraced above the next and surrounded by massive ring-walls. This seemingly invunerable fortress-city rose level by level like a great cliff for over seven hundred feet to the seventh wall, which was called the Citadel, and within that final ring-wall was raised the mighty spire of the White Tower itself. This Tower was rebuilt and improved in 2698 by the Steward Ecthelion I, and so was also called the 'Tower of Ecthelion.'  The Tower of Ecthelion was used to bear the standard of the city. Minas Tirith means 'Tower of the Guard' and was also known as Minas Anor, the 'Tower of the Sun', as it was named in the days of old.

→ "The great stone city, vaster and more splendid, greater and stronger than Isengard, and far more beautiful."
→ "The Tower of Ecthelion, standing high within the topmost walls, shone out against the sky, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, tall and fair and shapely, and its pinnacle glittered as if it were wrought of crystals..."

This was Faramir's birthplace and home, where his Father, Denethor II was the Ruling Steward. Faramir was Captain of the White Tower after the death of his brother, Boromir. Faramir spent many precious moments with his future wife, Éowyn, on the walls of 'Minas Anor', as she liked to call it. This is where she was healed, and where they first kissed (yes, I am a hopeless romantic). He stood on the walls of Minas Anor with Éowyn at the moment of the fall of Sauron.

The Houses of Healing
The hospital houses that lay in the sixth circle of Minas Tirith, surrounded by lawns and trees, where the healers of Gondor did their work.

Faramir was healed by the King Aragorn here after he was wounded in the retreat from Osgiliath to Minas Tirith. It was in the gardens of the Houses of Healing that he first met his future wife, Éowyn.

Ithilien
The very fair "garden of Gondor", found east of the River Anduin on the borders of Mordor. After the power of Mordor grew and the Nazgûl returned, Ithilien became a deserted country. In North Ithilien is located the field of Cormallen, where the last battle of the War of the Ring was fought. After the War of the Ring, Elves came to dwell in Ithilien (Legolas being the Lord of the Elves of Ithilien).

→ "A fair country of climbing woods and swift-falling streams."
→ "Ithilien, the garden of Gondor now desolate kept still a dishevelled dryad loveliness."
→ "It became once again the fairest country in all the westlands."

Faramir was captain of the Rangers of Ithilien, who scouted this land for the servants of Sauron.  After the War of the Ring, Aragorn made Faramir Prince of Ithilien.

Henneth Annûn
A cavern refuge of the Rangers of Ithilien, built by Túrin, the 23rd ruling Steward of Gondor. It was hidden behind the curtain wall of a spectacular waterfall in northern Ithilien, whose waters flowed into the River Anduin. 'Henneth Annûn' means 'Window of the Sunset' or 'Window of the West'.

→ "Fairest of all the falls of Ithilien..."
→ "It was as if they stood at the window of some elven-tower, curtained with threaded jewels of silver and gold, and ruby, sapphire and amethyst, all kindled with an unconsuming fire."

During the War of the Ring, Henneth Annûn was often used by Faramir and his rangers, and this is where he gave shelter to Frodo and Sam.

Emyn Arnen
A range of hills in south Ithilien, across the River Anduin from Minas Tirith. This region was particularly associated with the Stewards of Gondor. Húrin, the first of the hereditary Stewards, came from these hills.

Faramir lived here with his family after the War of the Ring. 

Osgiliath
The first capital of Gondor was Osgiliath, the "citadel of stars", which was built at the end of the Second Age and bridged the River Anduin midway between Minas Anor and Minas Ithil. Osgiliath remained intact until Gondor's civil war in 1437 when its legendary Dome of Stars was burned, along with most of the city. This was followed by the disaster of the Great Plague of 1636. The royal court was moved in 1640 to Minas Anor, which later was renamed Minas Tirith. In 2475, Osgiliath was destroyed by the Urak-hai legions out of Mordor, and although these were driven back the city was now totally deserted. After the destruction of Mordor at the end of the War of the Ring, Osgiliath was regained by Gondor, but it does not appear to have been rebuilt during the Fourth Age.

During the War of the Ring, Osgiliath was briefly defended by Faramir and a company of Gondor Men on two occasions. On the first, Boromir played a part and he describes the event in the book: "This very year, in the days of June, sudden war came upon us out of Mordor, and we were swept away. We were outnumbered... only a remnant of our eastern forces came back, destroying the last bridge that still stood amid the ruins of Osgiliath. I was in the company that held the bridge, until it was cast down behind us. Four only were saved by swimming: my brother and myself and two others."

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