Imperial City of Alderaan

This immense structure, resembling a platter, was suspended within the methane cirrus clouds of the gas giant Alderaan.

Within the rough draft of the A New Hope script, it functioned as the capital of the New Galactic Empire and accommodated the Galactic Emperor along with the Supreme Tribunal. In the second draft, it housed the Master of the Sith. Security measures extended far into space, encircling the city.

The city's reputation for being impenetrable was maintained through the use of triple guard details, scramble scanners, gas locks, and the isolation of each of its sectors.

Deak Starkiller endured torture and imprisonment within the Imperial City following his capture above the planet Utapau. He was freed by Han Solo, Chewbacca, Montross Holdaack, Luke Starkiller, and the droids Artoo and Threepio. They infiltrated the city by deceiving Imperial TIE fighter patrols, making them believe they were merely drifting space debris.

The Plaza of the Daders and a nightclub were among the locations found in the city.

Dai Nogas infested the depths of the Imperial City; these creatures were intentionally placed there by the Sith to serve as a security feature.

The Imperial City of Alderaan receives a mention in the treatment and makes appearances in the rough, second, and third drafts of the A New Hope script. Ralph McQuarrie devised the design of the Imperial City for the second draft. This design was later repurposed for Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back. Due to budgetary limitations, the Imperial City was removed from the A New Hope script when George Lucas penned the fourth draft, and the scenes initially set there were relocated to the Death Star.

Before the realization of Cloud City, Lucas described a similar setting for "Crell" and referenced Granicus, which was the original name for Alderaan in the first draft of the A New Hope script, within notes intended for licensees that were written in 1977.