Hur länge tog det för att bygga Minas Tirith?

Jag kommer att svara på dina frågor i omvänd ordning.

Akallabeth svarar på din andra fråga; Minas Tirith (som ursprungligen benämnd Minas Anor) byggdes vid fötterna till den befintliga Mount Mindolluin (betoning min):

Isildur and Anárion were borne away southwards, and at the last they brought their ships up the Great River Anduin, that flows out of Rhovanion into the western sea in the Bay of Belfalas; and they established a realm in those lands that were after called Gondor, whereas the Northern Kingdom was named Arnor. Long before in the days of their power the mariners of Númenor had established a haven and strong places about the mouths of Anduin, in despite of Sauron in the Black Land that lay nigh upon the east. In the later days to this haven came only the Faithful of Númenor, and many therefore of the folk of the coastlands in that region were in whole or in part akin to the Elf-friends and the people of Elendil, and they welcomed his sons. The chief city of this southern realm was Osgiliath, through the midst of which the Great River flowed; and the Númenóreans built there a great bridge, upon which there were towers and houses of stone wonderful to behold, and tall ships came up out of the sea to the quays of the city. Other strong places they built also upon either hand: Minas Ithil, the Tower of the Rising Moon, eastward upon a shoulder of the Mountains of Shadow as a threat to Mordor; and to the westward Minas Anor, the Tower of the Setting Sun, at the feet of Mount Mindolluin, as a shield against the wild men of the dales.

The Silmarillion IV Akallabeth

En teckning från 1977 av Tolkien tyder vidare på att Minas Anor byggdes från grunden, med den befintliga geografin huvudsakligen som grund:

Mendennaritningär

Sådukanskevilltadenmedsaltkorn.

OvanståendecitatantyderocksåattdetbyggdessammaårsomIsildurochAnárionlandadeefterattflyfrånNumenorsfallande;enligtbilagaB,detvarS.3320.Följdenärdåattstadenbyggdespåettår.

Ävenomantagandetärfelaktigt(ochmedrimlighetharjagingenanledningattmisstänkadetär),vivetattkonstruktionenintekanhatagitmerännioår.iS.A.3329angrepSauronmisslyckatMinasAnor:

3329 Sauron attacks Gondor, takes Minas Ithil and burns the White Tree. Isildur escapes down Anduin and goes to Elendil in the North. Anárion defends Minas Anor and Osgiliath.

Return of the King Appendix B "The Tale of Years" (i) The Second Age

Observeradockattstadenintebyggdespåengång;DetfannstvåexpansionersomspeladesinibilagaB:

• 420 King Ostoher rebuilds Minas Anor

  Return of the King Apendix B "The Tale of Years" (ii) The Third Age

  ObserveraattjaginteharkunnathittanågonhänvisningtillMinasAnorsomförstörs,såjagärtvungenattantaattdenna"ombyggnad" var mer av en renovering

• 1900 Calimehtar builds the White Tower in Minas Anor

  Return of the King Apendix B "The Tale of Years" (ii) The Third Age

Så, från en viss synpunkt, Minas Tirith som vi känner till tog 1912 år att byggas, men det är förmodligen inte vad frågan frågade.