Coruscant: Star Wars City Planet — Map, Senate, Filming

Overview

Coruscant is a city the size of a planet. Towers, traffic lanes and districts cover almost the whole surface, there is hardly any natural open ground left, and the climate is regulated artificially. The city runs down through hundreds of levels, from sunlit spires to a dark underworld far below^[1]^[3].

It lies in the Core Worlds, in the Corusca sector, at the junction of major hyperspace routes, and in-universe it marks the galaxy's zero coordinate point. Seen from space, its night side glows with dense city lights, and heavy orbital traffic fills the sky above them^[1]^[3].

Its people come from across the galaxy. Humans are the indigenous species of the planet, and Bith, Gran, Balosar, Patrolian and Mikkian are among the many other peoples who live on the planet^[1]^[3].

Core Worlds · L-9 Show on the galaxy map

Who lives here

Coruscanti humans
Humans are the indigenous species of the planet, and its total population is counted in the trillions^[3].
Bith, Gran and other species
Bith, Gran, Balosar, Patrolian and Mikkian are all among Coruscant's inhabitants. They are not native: the planet is a mix of cultures from across the galaxy rather than their homeworld^[1].
Kouhun
A venomous, insect-like creature that lives on Coruscant, a planet otherwise buried under buildings^[1].

Role in the galaxy

Coruscant is where the galaxy's decisions are made. It has been the political and cultural capital under the Republic and the Empire, the Galactic Senate meets in its great rotunda, and the Jedi Order keeps its Temple here, so politics, law and the Force all share one skyline^[1]^[3].

The planet is also a stage for very different stories. The prequel films use it for Senate intrigue and a speeder chase through the traffic lanes, while Andor shows rebels and Imperial intelligence officers working against each other in its shadows^[3]^[4].

Chronicle

Events are in story order. Spoilers stay hidden until you open them — or mark the title as watched on the timeline, and they open by themselves.

32 BBY

Episode I — The Phantom Menace

Padmé Amidala calls for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum, and Senator Palpatine is elected Supreme Chancellor. At the Temple, the Jedi Council tests the young Anakin Skywalker and at first refuses to train him^[6].
22 BBY

Episode II — Attack of the Clones

After an attempt on Padmé's life, Obi-Wan and Anakin chase the assassin through the city's traffic lanes, Coco Town and the lower levels^[3].
19 BBY

Episode III — Revenge of the Sith

Spoiler · Episode III — Revenge of the SithShowYou've watched it
In the closing days of the Clone Wars, the Separatists attack Coruscant and capture the Chancellor. Anakin and Obi-Wan fight to rescue him^[3].
19 BBY

Episode III — Revenge of the Sith

Spoiler · Episode III — Revenge of the SithShowYou've watched it
Mace Windu confronts Chancellor Palpatine, who is revealed as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Anakin cuts off Mace's forearm, and Sidious's Force lightning throws him to his death^[7].
19 BBY

Episode III — Revenge of the Sith

Spoiler · Episode III — Revenge of the SithShowYou've watched it
During Order 66, clone troopers led by the newly turned Darth Vader storm the Jedi Temple and kill those inside. The building is later converted into the Imperial Palace^[2].
19 BBY

Episode III — Revenge of the Sith

Spoiler · Episode III — Revenge of the SithShowYou've watched it
Palpatine addresses the Senate on Coruscant and declares that the Republic has been reorganised into the Galactic Empire^[3].
5 BBY

Andor

Mon Mothma secretly funds the early Rebellion from inside the Imperial Senate. Luthen Rael runs his network from an antiques shop, while ISB officer Dedra Meero hunts for rebel activity^[4].
≈ 0 BBY

Episode IV — A New Hope

Spoiler · Episode IV — A New HopeShowYou've watched it
Palpatine disbands the Imperial Senate shortly before the Battle of Yavin, ending the last pretence of representative government^[1].
4 ABY

Episode VI — Return of the Jedi

Spoiler · Episode VI — Return of the JediShowYou've watched it
In the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi, crowds on Coruscant celebrate Palpatine's death. The New Republic later takes the planet as its capital^[3].
≈ 9 ABY

The Mandalorian — Season 3

Spoiler · The Mandalorian — Season 3ShowYou've watched it
On a Coruscant held by the New Republic, the former Imperial scientist Dr. Pershing is enrolled in the rehabilitation (amnesty) programme, where a fellow participant, Elia Kane, a secret agent for Moff Gideon, betrays him^[5].

Heroes from Coruscant

Luthen Rael
home world
Lives and works on Coruscant, where an antiques shop hides his role as a secret organiser of the Rebellion^[8].
Syril Karn
home world
Returns to Coruscant to live with his mother^[9].

Where to see Coruscant

Every film, series and game in the timeline where Coruscant appears, in watch order.

Filmed on Earth

Real places that played Coruscant on screen.

Barbican Centre, London, England
The London arts centre was used for Coruscant scenes in Andor, with CGI extending the buildings^[3].
Andor
Canary Wharf, London, England
London's Canary Wharf business district also stood in for Coruscant in Andor and was extended with CGI^[3].
Andor

Did you know?

Coruscant did not appear on screen until the 1997 Special Edition of Return of the Jedi, years before the prequel trilogy built it out in detail^[3].
Ralph McQuarrie's unused concept art for an imperial capital called 'Had Abbadon' inspired the city's design for The Phantom Menace under Doug Chiang, and Fritz Lang's film Metropolis also influenced the look^[3].
Andor's visual effects supervisor wanted a grounded Coruscant based on New York's Art Deco buildings, so the series shot at London's Barbican Centre and Canary Wharf and extended them with CGI^[3].

Questions about Coruscant

Is Coruscant a real place?

No, it is fictional, but Andor filmed its Coruscant scenes in London, at the Barbican Centre and Canary Wharf, and extended them with CGI. The look draws on New York's Art Deco buildings and, for The Phantom Menace, on unused concept art^[3].

Where is Coruscant in Star Wars?

Coruscant is in the Core Worlds, in the Corusca sector, at grid square L-9 of the galaxy map. In-universe it sits at the galaxy's zero coordinate point, at the junction of major hyperspace routes^[1]^[3].

Who lives on Coruscant?

Humans are the indigenous species, and the population runs into the trillions. Many other species live there too, including Bith, Gran, Balosar, Patrolians and Mikkians, because the planet mixes cultures from across the galaxy^[1]^[3].

Coruscant

Overview

Who lives here

Coruscanti humans

Bith, Gran and other species

Kouhun

Role in the galaxy

Chronicle

Heroes from Coruscant

Luthen Rael

Syril Karn

Where to see Coruscant

Filmed on Earth

Barbican Centre, London, England

Canary Wharf, London, England

Did you know?

Questions about Coruscant

Nearby worlds

Sources