Jedi Temple

"This was our tower of guard. This was our fortress watch against the dark. This was the Jedi Temple."

- Vergere to Jacen Solo

The Jedi Temple was the headquarters of the Jedi Order from the conclusion of the Great Sith War to the Great Jedi Purge and during that time was home to its major training, bureaucratic and dormitory facilities. It would be largely destroyed just before the Declaration of a New Order.

The Old Republic


The Coruscant temple's origins date back to 5,000 BBY when, at the conclusion of the Great Hyperspace War, the Galactic Republic granted the Jedi land on Coruscant over a sacred mountain, which contained a Force-nexus. The Republic hoped that the Jedi would build a fortress, like those on Ossus, Falang Minor, and Haashimut, but the order only built a few meditative chambers and training facilities, believing itself to be above the tenets of traditional warfare. The original design consisted of tall stone buildings surrounding the mountain. Like the planet itself, the Temple’s structure grew up, piling new rooms on top of old ones, largely obstructing the view of the natural spire.

In 4,019 BBY, four Jedi Masters, two Warrior Masters and two Sage Masters, established the ziggurat of the Jedi Temple over the Force-nexus on Coruscant. Placing durasteel plating over the stone walls, the structure began to appear more modern and secure.

During the Old Sith Wars, the modern Temple would begin to take shape, as the Jedi became more and more tightly-linked to the Republic they protected. Following the devastation of Ossus, the Jedi Council took up residence in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, to which many Jedi relics from Ossus were taken, including some of the mosaic tiling. The Temple was greatly expanded, including the building of the original Jedi Council Chamber. The full, twelve-member Jedi Council met in the Coruscant temple as early as the Mandalorian Wars, but for centuries they would still hold the occasional quorum elsewhere. However, at the beginning of the Jedi Civil War, the chambers were placed lower down the center spire, rather then at the tip, which was the location of the chambers during the Clone Wars.

After the failed Jedi Conclave on Katarr, the Temple was abandoned as the remaining Jedi Knights went into hiding. It is likely to have become occupied again after the defeat of Darth Nihilus and Darth Sion. Later, at the close of the Great War, it was all but destroyed during the Sacking of Coruscant circa 3,656 BBY.



Over the next three millennia, the Temple was repeatedly expanded, with major expansions occurring in 3,519 BBY, the completion of the Jedi Archives in 2,519 BBY, 2,019 BBY, and 1,000 BBY, the year the Temple spires were ready for use.

It wasn't until the end of the New Sith Wars, the Republic Dark Age, and the following Ruusan Reformation, that the Jedi would fully concentrate and consolidate their operations within the Coruscant temple, which resulted in the closing of most of their remaining offworld training academies. After this, the Jedi and the Republic were graced with an era of peace and prosperity, with few conflicts and no reoccurences of the Sith threat. Unfortunately, it was not to last.

Attacks on the Jedi Temple
"Enter our Temple unbidden, you have. Leaving it will not be easy, you will find."

- Yoda to Yinchorri warriors

During the many years in which it stood, the Jedi Temple, being such a notable structure, was a target for attacks. With growing unrest and the reemergence of the Sith, not even the Temple was safe.

During the Melida/Daan crisis, various robberies took place at the Temple. The Jedi Council ordered Masters Qui-Gon Jinn and Tahl to uncover the thief and present him before the council for judgment. After discovering that Dark Jedi Xanatos, was working with Padawan Bruck Chun to steal artifacts in a grand scheme to destroy the Temple, the masters devised a plan to capture the rogue Jedi. When Obi-Wan recovered the captive Bant Eerin, Kenobi was forced to duel with Bruck. After besting Chun, Obi-Wan watched helplessly as Bruck was sent over a Temple waterfall because of Chun's refusal to accept the other Padawan's assistance.

In 33 BBY, a terror group of Yinchorri, ordered by Darth Sidious, began a raid on the Temple. Jedi Master Yoda, however, was prepared with a strike force, and systematically destroyed the Yinchorri, with few Jedi casualties.

Preceding the outbreak of the Clone Wars was a major public outburst brought about by Jonava Billane's accusation regarding the Order's way of inducting their members. Stating her daughter was kidnapped, and asking the public for help, she inspired a group of university students to march through the Temple. With preprogrammed graffiti-bombs and cries of popular People's Inquest slogans, they managed to breach the Second Atrium of the public entrance. As Padawans tried to calm the students, Masters Koon and Mundi quickly disposed of the marchers with a Jedi mind trick.



In 19 BBY, the Jedi discovered that Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Four Jedi Masters, Mace Windu, Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto, and Saesee Tiin, went to arrest the Chancellor. The Temple was secured, the Padawans were armed, and security was handed over to Shaak Ti and Gate Master Jurokk. The four Jedi Masters were killed, however, and the Jedi Temple was summarily invaded by members the 501st Legion, under the orders of Chancellor Palpatine.

"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?"

- Sors Bandeam to Darth Vader

Led by Darth Vader, the troopers of the 501st proceeded to slaughter every Jedi resident of the Temple, signaling the start of the Great Jedi Purge. Many famous Jedi died while defending the Temple, including the great librarian Jocasta Nu, and the lightsaber instructor Cin Drallig. Although many Jedi died within the Temple that night, Master Shaak Ti led a retreat of a group of several Padawans and their masters. Kazdan Paratus was another Jedi who escaped the Temple safely, fleeing to Raxus Prime.

Abandonment
The Empire used the Temple as a trap, having the structure broadcast a false signal to surviving Jedi, telling them to return to the Temple, as the Clone Wars were over. Luckily for the remaining Jedi, however, two survivors, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, returned to the Temple and deactivated the signal. As a result, the other surviving Jedi managed to withstand the immediate effects of Palpatine's "Order 66" directive.

A few months after its abandonment, Gregar Typho came to the Temple as part of his investigations into the death of Padmé Amidala. While rummaging through the Archives, he encountered Aurra Sing, who was searching the Temple for details on the whereabouts of the former Jedi Jax Pavan. In the resulting duel, Sing was knocked unconscious, and Typho escaped.

The Temple was once again infiltrated by ex-Jedi, Ferus Olin, and a non-Jedi, Trever Flume. After entering through a hole in one of the Temple's spires, they noticed just how much damage had been done. Walls leveled, fountains silenced, gardens shattered. They managed to evade notice while there, until they were driven to Yoda's former quarters, where they found its new occupant, Grand Inquisitor Malorum, Vader's chief servant and "pet." They then managed to escape the Temple and the nearby Imperial troops through a window.



Later, they returned with another ex-Jedi, Fy-Tor-Ana, via a new maintenance hatch, and wound up in the sub-basements, and discovered several lightsabers. While attempting to leave, they walked through a former nursery, the walls of which still carried blood stains from the execution of "Order 66." While in the Temple, Trever noticed there was a power drain on the electricity supply, and he deduced that Malorum had set a sleeper bomb, fueled by different power stations. The three managed to deactivate the bomb before the Temple was blown up. Later, Ferus realized that Malorum tried to destroy the Temple in order to disgrace Vader in the Emperor's eyes. The Temple also was a confrontation between Vader and Ferus, in which both were injured.

After all recovery work had been done in the Temple and the Archives rewritten, Palpatine opened the complex for touring. The elite-of-the-elite were the only ones permitted; a tour at the Temple automatically upgraded your social status. The Empire built a wall upon either side of the entry staircase, and piled debris in between, effectively blocking the entrance from the Processional Way. Statues of Sith demagogues were placed inside the areas of the Temple that were used for touring. Palpatine’s tours would go up through the High Council Quarter; all of the area above the Main entrance. The main hall used in this tour had access to the Archives, the High Council Tower, and the Jedi Trials Chamber; each were sealed off, and could only be opened by the stormtroopers guarding them.

Secretly, during the early years of the Empire, Darth Vader sent his secret apprentice Starkiller to the Temple several times to train in the ways of the Force. Because even the Emperor was (supposedly) ignorant to his existence, Vader ordered his minion to kill all stormtroopers he encountered. The Apprentice partook in the Jedi Trials while at the Temple, fighting throughout the complex with holograms that had gone wild.

In the subsequent years, the Temple, and perhaps some of its surrounding structures, were occupied by Palpatine, and survived at least until the destruction of the second Death Star, 23 years later (4 ABY).

It was believed that the Temple itself was caught in the devastation wrought by the escape of the Lusankya, else it was destroyed during the Galactic Civil War. It's also been speculated that it may have been razed by the cloned Emperor's retaking of Coruscant. Prior to the Yuuzhan Vong War, Luke Skywalker located the ruins of the Temple, and constructed a Jedi Headquarters building atop its foundations. This structure was destroyed during the Fall of Coruscant, revealing the ancient foundations of the original Jedi Temple.

Legacy
"What might have been the wind wending into holed hallways never before penetrated sounded like the funereal keening of spirits waiting to be avenged. What might have been the resonance of the footfalls of Commander Appo's stormtroopers sounded like the beat of distant war drums. What might have been smoke from the fires that should have gone out weeks earlier seemed more like wraiths writhing in torment."

- Darth Vader's thoughts

Ironically, the Death Star itself was constructed with a single throne room tower for Palpatine on the station's north pole, symbolizing the triumph of the Sith over the Jedi. While the Jedi had four supporting towers, the Emperor had one single strong tower standing on its own.

The Jedi Temple survived into the time of the New Republic, having its Archives reconstructed and filled with knowledge on the on-going Galactic Civil War. Tionne Solusar served as the Jedi librarian at the time. At some point following its reconstitution by the New Jedi Order, the Temple was destroyed and the Jedi Headquarters was constructed over its ruins.



During the war with the Yuuzhan Vong, Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade Skywalker and Tahiri Veila journeyed to a "Vong-formed" Coruscant after receiving a dark vision. They visited what was left of the once mighty Jedi Temple while doing battle with the deranged Dark Jedi, Lord Nyax. Nyax, bent on releasing the full power of the Force nexus which the Temple was constructed around, used the dark side of the force to entice human refugees to bring machines upon which to break through the wall that sealed the force nexus. After several failed attempts, Nyax was finally able to break down the wall with the help of a massive construction droid. He then drew upon the force and used it to complete incredible feats. An example of this was punching a hole all the way to the surface of Coruscant, many stories above. Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, and Tahiri Veila were also able to draw upon this "Force Wellspring" and use the Force energy contained there to complete feats that otherwise would not have been attainable. Nyax eventually was injured by Tahiri Veila, who diminished her presence in the Force to the point that he was not aware of her. While Luke and Mara distracted him, Tahiri threw razorbugs at him. He was severely injured and since he was not trained in the ways of the Force he did not realize that his Force connection was directly tied to the condition of his body. He was destroyed by two Yuuzhan Vong ships, but drew upon the power of the Force to imbue his last intent in the rocks around him. These rocks hurled themselves at the Yuuzhan Vong ships and destroyed many of them. Luke commented that it would continue as long as the wellspring fueled his evil intent.

When Jacen Solo found himself on Coruscant, he decided to investigate the extreme darkness of the area. Cornered by Vong, he was pulled through the dilapidated floor into a chamber filled with glow globes by Vergere, his adopted teacher. Vergere would lead Jacen through the halls of the subbasement, eventually bringing him to a dimly lit room. From the vaulted ceiling hung more globes and after Jacen proclaimed his lasting allegiance to the Jedi, the pillared hall was filled with Yuuzhan Vong. Jacen drew upon the dark side energies to destroy the hall, bringing down the ceiling of the room and crushing many Vong. Broken and injured Vergere asked Jacen why, if the Jedi supported peace, they would knowingly build their temple on a dark side nexus. Answering for him that they wouldn’t, she continued to feed him lies that there was no light or dark side, and the Jedi did not want this known. What Jacen actually felt was the dark side in him amplified by the Force Nexus.

Reconstruction
After the Yuuzhan Vong war, the Galactic Alliance Reconstruction Authority built a new Temple on Coruscant for Master Skywalker's New Jedi Order. Many on the Masters' Council feared this was a sign that the Jedi were once more becoming tools of the government. Using precise blueprints of the original temple, every hallway and chamber was exactly identical to the former structure, including the High Council Chamber, though the Temple had a modern look on the outside.

It was renamed the Temple of the Sith after Darth Krayt and his new Sith Order took control of the Galactic Empire in 130 ABY.

Layout


"Don't the Jedi have this reputation for, well, austerity?" "They like you to think that, yes! But have big honking Temple on Coruscant! Not come cheap!"

- Gar Gastinin and Vilmarh Grahrk

The building was a massive structure that stood over a kilometer high above the buildings of Galactic City, Coruscant. Built around an ancient Force nexus located in a natural mountain known as the Sacred Spire, the area surrounding the Temple was a long, broad promenade, the Processional Way, in an area where the Temple was largely unobstructed to sight. From the outside, the Jedi Temple appeared as a high-raised ziggurat building in a stepped design, with five spires built on top, the taller, Tranquillity Spire surrounded by four smaller ones. These spires symbolized a Jedi's climb to enlightenment. Each of the four spires crowned a different quarter of the Temple; each of these quarters were specialized for a variety of different purposes. The First Knowledge quarter was the most important in the training of younglings, while the High Council quarter was the area where many conference and meeting rooms were located. The area around the Reassignment Tower was dedicated to the Public entrance, while the Reconciliation quarter had many gardens and garages.

Spires


The tallest, central spire was known as Tranquillity Spire, and was traditionally the most important, since it held the ancient texts of the founding Jedi, and was also a sacred place for contemplation. Tranquillity Spire contained the Hall of Knighthood near the summit, meditation chambers farther below, large memorial statues of the most revered Jedi suspended in the tower by repulsorlift pads, then the peak of the mountain around which the Temple was constructed. The peak was surrounded by a meditation balcony with a lower balcony presenting a series of holo-depictions of the history of the Jedi. The smallest younglings were brought here by their masters for their first introduction into Jedi knowledge. Throughout the mountain, ancient meditation chambers and the original cave chapels are now connected via stone bridges to a large corridor around the spire.

The four surrounding towers were built in 1,000 BBY and each contained a single Jedi Council. Before the completion of the four spires, a single spire stood in a empty plaza and served as the meeting area for the Jedi Council. The first of the four smaller spires was home to the Jedi High Council. It was here that the twelve members of the High Council sat and debated the various facets of the Republic. This was the most important council since this council held decision-making powers over the whole Jedi Order, and, thus, quite a bit of influence in the Galactic Republic.



The next tower was used by the Council of First Knowledge. This council took care of matters requiring the wisdom of the elder Masters or Council members, and gave advice to the High Council and any Jedi who requested it. The third spire was the Council of Reconciliation Tower, which sought to find peaceful settlements to political disputes across the Galactic Republic. The fourth spire was the Reassignment Council Tower, which handled the organization of work for young Jedi who had not been chosen by Jedi Masters to be Apprentices.

Each of these five spires carried high-gain communication transmitters, used to contact field Jedi or other offworlders as required by any of the four Councils. For this reason the Temple was positioned high above any other buildings in the area, where there was little or no interference to the antennas.

Temple Ziggurat


The Temple itself was the home to the Jedi, where they lived for the first years of their Life. During their stay, they learned the ways of The Force and trained in the traditions of the Jedi Order. Classrooms for younglings were located around the base of the Tower of First Knowledge, where students are assigned projects and essays on the history of the Order.

In the years leading up to the Clone Wars, it was noted that the temple, particularly the exterior, was suffering from neglect. Flaking paint was evident around the mid to lower levels and long green streaks from bronze gutters ran down roofs. Electrochemical corrosion was occurring where molded metal sheets had lost cathodic insulation buffers.

The Jedi Archives, staffed by Jocasta Nu during the final days of the Old Republic, were located in the quarter of the Temple crowned with the Tower of First Knowledge. It contained vast wells of Jedi lore and history. An ancient section of the Temple was later converted into a museum of Temple history.

The Temple also provided independent transport to Jedi who required it. A relatively recent addition to the Temple in the last decades of the Republic, the Jedi Temple Hangars house Delta-7 Aethersprite interceptors, capable of transporting Jedi anywhere in the galaxy. During the Clone Wars, the Temple Hangars also contained Republic Gunships and Eta-2 Actis interceptors. Ships were housed in the Main Temple Garage where they could be prepared for travel. They were then moved into a preparation chamber where they could be raised into the hangars.

Around the central spire were gardens used to feed all the Jedi housed at the Temple. Located near the Tower of Reconciliation were the gardens overseen by Yoland Fee.



The rest of the inner Temple was cool with natural lighting that was filtered in through clerestories. The Temple was filled with dormitories for Padawans and Knights that were individually built to suit the different species of Jedi‘s needs. The most influential and respected masters had their own private offices and quarters located near the Temple‘s towers. These private quarters had their own computer and holoprojectors to access works of science, history and philosophy. There were many different facilities, including classrooms for Jedi Masters to train large groups of younglings, and sparring rooms for Jedi to develop their skills with the lightsaber, as well as numerous gardens, fountains, and quiet alcoves and chambers to provide a meditative space. One of the most spectacular gardens was the Room of a Thousand Fountains, which acted as a huge greenhouse, with flowing waters and cascades. There was also an expansive menagerie beneath the Temple that was used to house hundreds of fauna, including Yoda's kybuck.

The meditative walkway, a cavernous hallway surrounding the base of the Temple was decorated with an arcade of stained-glass windows and statues relating the events of the Hyperspace Wars. It was also dotted with podiums holding the Jedi Code on tablets.

Other known features included the Jedi Medical Corps Infirmary, Sith containment cells, rotunda chapels, a holographic training room, Jedi Agricultural Corps Research Labs, communication centers, banquet halls, lightsaber crafting areas, and the Chamber of Conclave. During the Clone Wars the temple also housed military-style briefing chambers and war rooms, to fulfill the Jedi's needs as the generals of the Army of the Republic.

The area around the Temple came to be known as the Temple Precinct, which grew to offer docking space for larger spaceships, and contained other buildings built after the construction of the Temple.