Kipei Imperial Palace
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The Kipei Imperial Palace, or Kyūden, is the main residence of the Sanpantul emperor. Located in Namishima County, Kipei, it is a vast, park-like living space surrounded by moats. The complex houses the Kōseiden (皇政殿) Palace, where the emperor resides, palaces reserved for princes and princess regents, two archives (one digital), a guesthouse, art spaces, teahouses, and numerous other buildings. The 1.11 square kilometer site sits on the grounds of the former Jackson Mansion.
The palace is located on Kyūden Hill, the highest point in Namishima, 50 meters above sea level. The hill gradually slopes downwards from sea level.
History
The fall of Coastalis in 1667 turned Skerries into a lawless area. During the Sanpanese War of Independence, SPA militias occupied the former town of Kuiper (now Kipei) in East Sandwich, making it a main base for the SPA. When the Sanpantul Provisional Government was established, Seiji I had Kōseiden Palace built in 1669 using the timbers of the dilapidated Jackson Mansion, and in 1672 the Three Temples were built next to Kōseiden. In 1674 the grounds were completely moated, with three wooden bridges connecting to the palace. In 1681 the moats were filled with water, and all the wooden bridges were replaced with stone bridges. The stone bridges feature a blend of Britannic and Sanpō architectural styles. The remaining large open space was furnished with cassava, cucumber, and tomato fields, as well as three stables, to provide the palace with its annual crop needs. A significant amount of earth was excavated to level the hill on which the palace stood, much of which was used in the construction of moats, breakwaters on Kipei, and the LaRiviera Islands.
With the incorporation of the Beneluccas into the empire in 1685, Ruhatyn Palace was also opened to the emperor. Although Ruhatyn Palace became the official capital of Sanpantul, it was only occasionally used for imperial accommodation, with the emperor mostly residing in Old Kipei. The micrasquake and tsunami of 1692 caused tsunami waves to engulf Namishima up to 5 meters above sea level, but the imperial palace, being at the highest point on the island, was protected from the potential tsunami. Kyūden was later used to manage the administrative affairs of Kipei Prefecture under Batavian patronage, and the Batavian king occasionally visited the palace during his trips to Skerry to inspect the Alduria-Wechua maritime border.
In 1702, when Sanpantul was restored, the palace underwent major renovations with funds from the Great Apollonia. However, Hiroto I kept the rank and classification within the palace quite superficial. Instead of focusing his attention on Kyūden, Hiroto I devoted himself to social welfare organizations, infrastructure, and his good relations with Emperor Tobu. However, his distant friend was assassinated in 1704, and their friendship was short-lived. One of Hiroto I's greatest innovations in the palace was the introduction of the Adyghi Guards, associated with the Laqi, who practiced the Umraist faith; these guards were tasked with protecting the emperor. In addition, with the increasing number of visitors, he built a boutique guesthouse called Kyūbi (宮賓) within the palace.
Due to the Sanpo-Chakar War between 1716 and 1720, the stables and farmlands in the Western Gardens were removed, and in their place a massive barracks with a large wooden courtyard was built. Within the imperial complex, labyrinthine barracks were constructed, leading down to the city center via long staircases. This barracks was popularly known as Kurenai no Heishō (紅の兵営), meaning Crimson Barracks. The Crimson Barracks served as a camp for elite special forces, primarily for the imperial mainland and occupied territories during states of emergency. A section of the barracks was allocated to a court of justice for Chakar prisoners and civilians. During the Chakaristan campaigns of 1718, Kipei was bombed, and the Imperial Palace complex suffered significant damage.
In the post-war period, all damaged structures were repaired, and the broken statues in the Three Temples were recreated, with a substantial budget allocated for this purpose. The Crimson Barrack was completely removed, replaced by a large lawn and love fruit seedlings. Most of the moats were structurally deteriorated, so the water in them was drained and refilled. A section of the palace wall collapsed in May 1722 due to damage and leakage from the moats. As water continued to seep between the walls, the entire moat had to be drained, and the palace walls and foundations underwent repairs for years.
In 1748, new projects were introduced to make the palace more functional; the cassava plantation, formerly used by the empire for growing crops, was transformed into the Shin-Kyōten (新皇天) Garden. Several moats were dug within Shin-Kyōten, and plans were announced for a small golf course in the garden's designated area, a museum dedicated to the Tonugawa Dynasty, a teahouse to entertain guests, and a two-story guesthouse for accommodation. This entire complex is known as the Western Gardens. Construction of all projects related to the Western Gardens was completed in 1753.
On March 1, 1758 AN, the Imperial Family announced its intention to develop the neglected and desolate Northern Gardens. This included the construction of new moats and their filling with water, a new Martial Arts Hall, a new Dance and Music Hall, renovation of the main palace in the Core District, expansion of the existing post office, a new E-Archive Building for the digital future and the storage of existing floppy disks, repair of bridges, undergrounding of the civil road running through the middle of the Kyūden as an underpass, and the construction of Shinwa-den (神和殿) Palace and Gekkōden (月光殿) Palace respectively for the accommodation of Prince Seijihito II and Princess Esuta. In addition, it included the construction of the Kurenai-kyū (紅宮) Recreation Hall as a token of gratitude to Atiya bint Alsalam and her servants. The entire project was planned to be completed in 1765 AN.
