Arrakeen governor's palace

This article or section refers to elements from Original Dune

General Information

Constructed

Location

Behind the Scenes
First appearance
Dune (1965)

The Arrakeen governor's palace, also known colloquially as the Arrakeen Residency, was a central landmark in Arrakeen, the old capital city of Arrakis (Dune) during the Corrino Empire era, when the Imperium was ruled by the padishah-emperors of House Corrino. It was the largest building in the city. The Residency was built to withstand the harsh conditions of Arrakis, even those of the milder area surrounded by the Shield Wall mountains, encircling the city of Arrakeen and the Plains of Arrakeen outside the city.

During House Harkonnen's governance of Arrakis, the Harkonnens preferred to administer the planet from the more modern, prefab-built capital of Carthag. During that time, the Arrakeen Residency was home to count Hasimir Fenring, a close friend of padishah-emperor Shaddam IV, and Hasimir's wife, lady Margot Fenring.

Once the stewardship of Arrakis was awarded to House Atreides, the Atreides family decided to revive Arrakeen's traditional role as the planet's capital city, deciding to take up residence in the city's governor's palace, re-establishing the city of Arrakeen as the seat of the Imperium's power on the planet. Lady Jessica Atreides found a coded message by lady Margot Fenring in the palace's greenhouse. The shadout Mapes was one of the housemaids/housekeepers of the governor's palace. The Atreides held a gala at the palace, meeting with local elites, guests of honour and Imperium representatives, including the likes of Dr. Liet Kynes. When Dr. Wellington Yueh carried out his plan to betray the Atreides (in order to bargain with baron Harkonnen to release his captured wife from suffering and confirm her death), the city of Arrakeen and the governor's palace came under attacked by Harkonnen and (concealed) Sardaukar forces during the Siege of Arrakeen.

The city and the Residency fell into Harkonnen hands, until the eventual Battle of Arrakeen, where Fremen forces led by Paul Atreides (now known as the Fremen leader/prophet Muad'Dib) tricked the assembled forces of padishah-emperor Shaddam IV and House Harkonnen, retaking the city along with the governor's palace.

After the defeat of House Corrino at Arrakeen and padishah-emperor Shaddam IV being forced to abdicate the Golden Lion Throne in favour of rule by Paul Atreides, the governor's palace was gradually superceded by the construction of new megastructures. These easily overshadowed and replaced the old governor's palace, an already very large and impressive structure.