Consulates were government buildings that acted as an embassy for a foreign group on a planet.
During the Galactic Civil War, spacers when making trips were required each time to indicate the location of the nearest Consulate of their home planets via regulation star coordinates.
In 8 ABY, Luke Skywalker, when trying to find the Alderaanian Consulate for the second Wedding attempt between Han Solo and Leia Organa, went to the Aldereenian Consulate by mistake.