Takodana Castle

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"She's run this watering hole for a thousand years. Maz is a bit of an acquired taste, so let me do the talking. And whatever you do, don't stare."
"At what?"
"Any of it."

―Han Solo, Rey, and Finn^[2]

Takodana Castle, also known as Maz Kanata's castle, or simply as Maz's castle, was located on the planet of Takodana on the shore of Nymeve Lake. The castle was owned by the pirate Maz Kanata up until thirty years after the Battle of Endor when it was destroyed by the First Order during the Battle of Takodana.

Description[]

Situated by Nymeve Lake on Takodana,^[3] this fortress had a main hall and hosted travelers, smugglers, criminals, and beings of all walks of life. It had sensor grids and advanced communications gear. Beneath the main levels, the fortress contained dungeons, storerooms, and catacombs which housed tombs of ancient Jedi. The castle courtyard contained a massive statue of Maz Kanata, gifted to her by her former husband.^[5]

History[]

Kanata's abode[]

Takodana Castle^[6] was once occupied by the Jedi and its catacombs contained tombs of Jedi Knights.^[7] It was rumored to have been a battleground for the Jedi and Sith.^[8]

HanSoloOldSwindler-SoH — Han Solo was known to visit Maz Kanata's castle.

Approximately a millennium before the First Order-Resistance conflict, Maz Kanata took ownership of the castle and established it as a safe haven for any who came there. All were welcome at Maz's castle so long as they followed the rules, which required no violence of any sort. As such, the castle saw visitors from all walks of life who could generally co-mingle without fear of attack. Kanata strictly enforced the rules personally with the aid of the ancient droid "Emmie"; those who violated them were forbidden from further visits.^[3] To this end, visitors to the castle were greeted by a sign which read "All are welcome. (No fighting.)"^[9]

The mantra "NO FIGHTING" was a core rule of Maz Kanata's fortress, with the warning posted in various galactic languages.^[5] This meant that even those who were in grave trouble, such as having a bounty on their head, could find refuge at the castle. Such individuals, however, would only be granted one free night of food, water, and shelter, after which they would have to pay a heavy fee if they wished to remain. The groundskeeper of the castle was HURID-327.^[10]

Destruction[]

"First Order scum. The nerve to show up here. How far in the galaxy do I have to go to get away from them?"
"I might regret asking this, Cookie, but what did they do to you?"
"They blew up the last place I worked. Maz Kanata's castle. Shame. Such a shame. That's why I took my show on the road. Lucky for you lot."

―Strono Tuggs and Izal Garsea^[11]

Approximately thirty years after the Empire's defeat at Endor, the musicians of the Shag Kava Band, Sudswater Dillifay Glon, Infrablue Zedbeddy Coggins, Ubert Quaril, and Taybin Ralorsa, played there. Shortly after, the castle was destroyed when the First Order attacked the castle in an attempt to capture the droid BB-8.^[2] The destruction of the castle was considered a shame by its head chef, Strono Tuggs, who took his cooking career on the road after the battle. In the end, he would find himself working at Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu, where he would again crosspaths with First Order forces, much to his anger.^[11]

Behind the scenes[]

Maz castle cross section — A behind the scenes photo by Annie Leibovitz of a group of characters in the castle.

Takodana Castle first appeared in the 2015 film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. It was first revealed in an exclusive Vanity Fair article in May 2015, which included photos by Annie Leibovitz. The pictures showcased one of the sets used for the castle and a number of human, droid, and alien characters.^[12]

In The Force Awakens, the castle's exterior features numerous flags, including one depicting the logo of the real-world 501st Legion.^[13] In Star Wars: Complete Locations, Maz's quarters has the theatrical poster of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope hung on one of its walls.^[14]

When approaching the castle, the Millennium Falcon flies over Derwent Water, in the Lake District in the northwest of England, UK.^[15]