The Galactic Senate Chamber, alternatively referred to as the Grand Convocation Chamber, the Senate Rotunda, the grand audience chamber, or simply the Senate Chamber, constituted a spacious, open area situated within the Galactic Senate Building on the planet of Coruscant. This chamber served as the principal meeting place for the Galactic Senate of the Galactic Republic and functioned as the epicenter of political affairs.
Its perimeter was outfitted with 1,024 repulsorpods intended for use by the senators and representatives hailing from diverse political delegations. Certain delegations, such as the Naboo delegation, were allocated their individual pods, while other representatives were compelled to share. These platforms possessed the capability to detach from the chamber walls, and the space was equipped with voice amplification systems, translation devices, and hovercams that captured the various proceedings. Positioned at the chamber's core was the Chancellor's podium, which itself extended from the "working office" of the Chancellery Secretariat, from which the Supreme Chancellor and the Vice Chair would preside over the Senate's sessions.
During the Clone Wars, the blow up of the central power distribution grid on Coruscant by Infiltrator demolition droids caused a mandatory blackout, even stopping the vote for the bill to de-regulate banking conglomerates. This event forced the repulsorpods and the chamber to switch to emergency power.
It was inside the Galactic Senate Chamber that Chancellor Sheev Palpatine proclaimed the establishment of the Galactic Empire, declaring himself as emperor before the newly formed Imperial Senate. Subsequently, a number of the repulsorpods sustained damage when Sidious and Jedi Master Yoda hurled them at one another during their duel.
In the initial stages of the Imperial Era, the podium underwent modification, with the Imperial crest replacing the Senate symbol. During the Imperial Era, the Republic symbol at the bottom of the podium was replaced with the Imperial crest, and the repulsorpods were altered to incorporate the Imperial crest as well.