The area surrounding the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, previously the Jedi Temple, was called the Palace Court. During the time of the Galactic Republic, it was known as the Jedi Temple Precinct, the Temple Precinct, or sometimes the Temple District. This precinct encompassed many city blocks and was under the joint authority of the Jedi Council and the Galactic Republic until the year 19 BBY.
The Temple Precinct, during the time of the Clone Wars, was a relatively short sector within the Federal District. Its buildings were mostly modern and provided standard housing. At the heart of the Precinct stood the Jedi Temple complex, a collection of structures built over millennia. This archaeological treasure held within it the history of the Jedi center's numerous expansions, renovations, destructions, and rebuilds, all centered around a locus of power: a natural mountain considered sacred by the native Coruscanti, attracting Force-wielders with diverse beliefs, and a collection of the Force's wellsprings hidden beneath the spire's many forgotten grottos and shrines.
The Processional Way, a lengthy path terminating at ceremonial steps leading up to the Jedi Temple, was located within the district. Atop the Temple were two statues each of the Jedi Order's Sage Masters and Warrior Masters. Interspersed among the low-lying buildings were various Jedi statues, creating a serene atmosphere distinct from the bustling urban environment of the Galactic City, with its busy roads. The broad promenade served as a symbolic bridge.
A spaceport tower within the Precinct allowed spaceships too large for the Temple hangars to dock. These hangars were constructed within the Temple after the time of the Naboo blockade in 32 BBY. Below the towering structure was a large assortment of buildings, divided by avenues and of average height, used for the standard training of Padawans. These shorter buildings allowed the Temple, especially its tall spires, to dominate the skyline for kilometers around.
During the reign of Emperor Palpatine, the district was renamed Palace Court. The Emperor repurposed the precinct as a landing field for capital ships, creating a courtyard capable of holding multiple Venator- and Victory-class Star Destroyers.
The Processional Way, the boulevard connecting the edge and the heart of the Jedi Temple Precinct, was the site of intense gatherings during the fall of the Republic and the early days of the New Order that took its place.
During the Clone Wars, a crowd of friends and family members of those killed in the bombing of the Jedi Temple hangar assembled to protest the ongoing war, displaying anti-Jedi sentiment.
Under the New Order that replaced the Republic, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda himself organized a celebration of the Jedi Order's eradication at the Palace Court. Standing before citizens gathered at the entry steps, the Imperial bureaucrat incinerated the lightsabers of fallen Jedi. Cam droids filmed the event from above.
The Galactic Empire transformed the Palace grounds into a vast landing field, with a dedicated landing pad constructed in front of the Imperial Palace's entrance for a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle. A walkway, lined with rows of white-clad escorts and Imperial Royal Guardsmen, provided access. Despite these alterations, the precinct remained a low-rise area when the civil war on Coruscant began in 4 ABY.
The Palace Court's first appearance in canon was in the 1999 movie Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. It was identified by the names Palace Court and Temple Precinct in the 2016 Star Wars: Force and Destiny sourcebook titled Nexus of Power.