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The Jedi are one of the most revered groups in science fiction, thanks to how powerful theStar Warsseries is. With a unique code that guides their entire order, the Jedi seem to be a group of righteous monks who engage in combat when the stakes call for it. When the Jedi ofStar Warsaren’t out on missions, they are most often found in the beloved Jedi Temple.
The structure is an important location for the Jedi Order, though its history is fraught with hardship. When looking at the temple both within and outside of the current canon, it’s easy to see how important the Jedi Temple is, and how much the Sith hate the place. The temple’s uses and how it fell into the hands of the Sith may be a mystery to some, but it won’tbe anymore.
Coruscant
Date Built
Originally millennia ago, but the modern version was built in 1032 BBY.
Associated Groups
The site of the Jedi Temple onthe often-avoided planet Coruscantwas viewed as an important site for a variety of different followers of the Force. The construction and history of the temple differ to some extent depending on the canon one views. Essentially, though, the temple was originally created by the mysterious Four Masters as a part of a mountain. The hope was that this would allow the Force to resonate throughout the temple’s halls, and in turn allow someto wield powerful Force abilities. This temple seemed to be rudimentary in nature, as the Sith eventually took it over and created their own stronghold, before the Jedi took it back and built a new temple. This means that the Jedi Temple fans of the series know is actually built on top of a fallen Sith temple.
When the Jedi began building their temple, they began to move within the surrounding mountain area, and carved out its innards to extend the temple. The Jedi then established their own library of records. This eventually became known as the Jedi Archives, as they also brought in their own important historical artifacts. From there, the history of the Jedi Temple is much the same as already laid out. It would beattacked by the Sith in various wars, reclaimed by the Jedi, and later reworked or rebuilt entirely. Eventually, the Jedi Temple would become more of a collective of structures instead of one massive structure, allowing for different Jedi groups to work out of the various buildings and towers.
What Was The Jedi Temple Used For?
There are many Jedi Temples around the galaxy, but when mostStar Warsfans hear the term, they tend to think of the one that stands out the most. The massive Jedi Temple on Coruscant is one of the most important. Not only does it serve as a major setting throughout theStar Warscanon, but it’s alsowhere the Jedi High Council resides. Without the guidance and deep knowledge that comes from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the Jedi Order would have been much weaker than it already was by the time Palpatine sought to take power. In theStar Wars: The Secrets Of The Jedireference book, Luke Skywalker explains two key uses for the Jedi Temple:
The most famous of the Jedi temples, located on Coruscant, served as the home of the Jedi High Council and the vast library of data known as the Jedi Archives.
Outside of the High Jedi Council providing guidance, and the Jedi Archives providing knowledge, the Jedi Temple had many more functions. Many Jedi, Padawan, and Younglings livedand underwent Jedi trialsin the Temple, devoting their lives to the ways of the Force and to training to become full-fledged Jedi. While it was a place of worship for the Jedi, it was also a base of sorts, allowing the Jedi Order to work with the Republic to help the galaxy remain on the right track. At the same time, the temple was also a school that helped to teach not only the ways of the Force, but also what it took to become a heroic Jedi.
Why Did The Jedi Temple Become The Imperial Palace?
The Jedi Temple becoming the Imperial Palace is actually not surprising. It’s just another example of the Sith taking control afterthe undetected Palpatine’s masterful planwas executed.The execution of Order 66 by Palpatineand the rise of the Empire allowed the Sith to once again take control of the powerful Jedi Temple. The Empire forces set fire to the temple in their attack, but to preserve the wealth of information available in the Jedi Archives, Palpatine ensured the structure’s survival. Eventually, the Jedi Temple had everything Jedi stripped from it, and it morphed into the Imperial Palace. The Empire destroyed countless pieces of Jedi history: art, artifacts, and anything else that portrayed the Jedi in a positive way.
The Imperial Palace became the home of Palpatine, but as history indicates, even the Sith’s stranglehold on the temple did not last.While Palpatine’s empire did fall, there isn’t much information on what happened to the Imperial Palace. But with most of the Jedi gone, it may have simply ended up being converted to a government building for the New Republic.
