Name: Jedha City
Planet: Jedha
Starport Type: Imperial
Traffic: Moderate
Control: Imperial
Docking Areas: 4 Landing Zones (LZ-Aurek, LZ-Besh, LZ-Cresh and LZ-Dorn)
Docking Fee: 75 Credits a day
Customs: Imperial
Law Enforcement: Heavy
Services: Full
Population: 11.3 million
Points of Interest: Denic’s garage, Dome of Deliverance, Dome of the Anointed, Emitter of Constant Hope, Enlightenment, First Spire, Gesh’s Tapcafe, Gimm sisters’ orphanage, Holy Quarter, Jedha City spaceport, LZ-Aurek, LZ-Besh, LZ-Cresh, LZ-Dorn, New Market, Old Market, Old Shadows, Path of Judgments, Pilgrim’s Walk, Roalj Temple, Second Spire, Square of the Supplicants, The Blade, Tythoni Square, Temple of the Kyber, Waiting of Night, Societal information
Background: Jedha was an ancient city on the cold, desert Mid Rim moon of Jedha. Standing atop a rocky mesa, the city was surrounded by a large wall and contained various temples and adorned buildings. The city was divided into two sections by a division wall; one was known as the Old City, and the other was known as the New City, although the New City was well over 5000 years old. The most notable structure in the Holy City was the ancient Temple of the Kyber—a great temple protruding high above the city wall held sacred by those who followed the teachings of the Church of the Force.
Considered a holy site for followers of the mystical energy field known as the Force, the Holy City’s streets were filled with priests, scholars, and holy men and women, many pilgrims, who their distinctive and often ornate robes could recognize.
Long before around 382 BBY, the city was governed by the Jedi Order. During this time, four statues of Jedi were built in the deserts outside the city, though by around 382 BBY, only one of the statues, known as the Final Protector, still stood. The Battle of Jedha instigated by the Path of the Open Hand saw fighting hit the city, with the Final Protector falling during the battle as well.
Sometime before the Battle of Scarif, Jedha City, along with the rest of the moon, was occupied by the Galactic Empire, with Imperial stormtroopers, KX-series security droid, TX-225 GAVw “Occupier” combat assault tanks, TIE/ln space superiority starfighters, and cargo shuttles being deployed to the city. However, the occupation was met with firm resistance by rebel extremist Saw Gerrera—leader of the Partisans—who coordinated the insurgency from his hideout. In response to Gerrera’s insurgency, the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Dauntless was dispatched to sit over Jedha City at the suggestion of Imperial Intelligence.
During the Alliance to Restore the Republic’s mission to find the location of Imperial scientist Galen Erso, Captain Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, and reprogrammed Imperial KX-series security droid K-2SO traveled to the Holy City to meet with Gerrera. While there, the trio became involved in a firefight with Imperial and Partisan forces.
Hours later, all Imperial forces were immediately ordered to withdraw from the city. Unknown to many of them, Director Orson Krennic and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin had decided to test the capability of the Empire’s new superweapon-equipped battle station, the Death Star, by firing its superlaser at the city using a single-reactor ignition. The test was a success, destroying the Holy City, its inhabitants, and the surrounding area. At least 3% of Jedha’s Imperial forces were presumed destroyed in the blast as well, having been unable to evacuate. The Imperial casualties included such forces as JN-093’s squad, who had been assigned to check possible rebel hiding spots outside the city, leaving them unable to get to the extraction point in time.
The Empire portrayed the event to the Imperial Senate as a mining catastrophe to prevent the public from learning about the weapon and the true circumstances of Jedha City’s destruction. While some reports indicated that the city’s destruction had left only a modest crater, in reality, the Death Star’s blast had obliterated almost a quarter of the moon and exposed its core.
Appearances: Rogue One