CORUSCANT (GALACTIC CENTER, IMPERIAL CENTER, YUUZHAN'TAR)
Type: Planet-wide city
Location: Core
System: Coruscant (Seswanna sector)
Moons: 4
Natives: Humans, various
Languages: Basic, various
Points of Interest: Imperial Palace, Jedi Temple, Galactic Senate, Monument Plaza
Debut: Return of the Jedi: Special Edition
A technological wonder, the entire planet of Coruscant is packed with towering skyscrapers, huge spaceports and magnificant buildings and offices of all shapes and sizes. While Coruscant would seem like a dream planet to many, the reality is a very stark contrast.
Living in the upper eschelons of Galactic Center (later renamed Imperial Center during Palpatine's rise to power) is easy going; beautiful apartments adorned with all manner of technological advancements, and vistas across the city to die for. However, only the very privalidged - and very rich - can afford such luxurious homes. Travel further down into Coruscant's many sub-levels and prepare for a very different world. Seedy nightclubs and grimy diners frequent the dark lower levels, as do every type of smuggler, pirate and vagabond you could possibly imagine. Travel even further down...and don't expect to travel back up again.
Nevertheless, for all its low points, Coruscant is still regarded as the center of the galaxy, and thus everyone who is anyone has visited it at some point in their lives. Also the political center in the galaxy, Coruscant is home to the Galactic Senate - again renamed under Imperial rule - a gigantic building holding tens of thousands of Senators from nearly every world. Therefore, many of the superior apartments are reserved for Senators, aides and subordinates in the Senate. Also of note was the magnificent Jedi Temple, a great structure standing tall with five spires atop it. Within the Temple walls the Jedi Knights kept order on the planet and around the galaxy during the time of the Old Republic. However, when the Empire took control, much of the planet changed dramatically, and if anything, conditions got worse.
Huge palaces were built for important Imperial dignitaries, including Prince Xizor, Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine himself. Luckily the New Republic wrestled control from the Empire, and for a while there was a temporary peace forged. However, when the Yuuzhan Vong attacked, Coruscant again fell, and was decimated. The bright center of the universe was extinguished forever. |
