Seat of the Great Council

Arishta and her siblings walked slowly toward the council building, whose bright plaster illuminated the entire square. The building was enormous. From afar, she could see the globe on the dome of the roof, decorated with round windows. She saw the flags on the balustrades in front of the round dome, fluttering in the westward direction in the wind. She interpreted it as a good omen, because something was missing, and Arishta wanted to finally fill it, no matter what it might cost her in the end.

Visit of the God-Kings of Idaka to the Council of Elements 2,690 AEC-

Northwest of the temple district of Aqila lies the seat of the Great Council of Elements. The council was founded after the third and final Elaqitan War and ushered in the current Age of Great Councils. Initially, the council used buildings near the Temple of the World tree, but during the 5th century after the founding of the council (AEC), the first proper council building was built in the administrative district of the Capital of Elements, which stood until the 16th century AEC. This building fell victim to the revolts of the Order of the Black Moon in 1571, when insurgents stormed the building, tore statues from the walls, smashed the windows, and set off firebombs.

Harmonic symmetry

While the Council and the Ministers had to move to different buildings in the administrative district in order to resume their work, clean-up work to remove the rubble from the old building and tenders for the construction of a new and larger headquarters for future generations were underway.
The new building was designed by Milon Toshi, a Téshànian architect known primarily for combining symmetrical order with floral curves and primarily using high-quality materials such as marble, quartzite, and travertine. Toshi had already designed smaller, important buildings in the capital, and with the construction of the new council building, he created his greatest monument. The foundation stone for the new building was laid in 1574, and it took approximately 83 years to complete.

At a glance

Built: 1,574 - 1,657 / 2,171 - 2,189
Architect: Milon Toshi / Zawadi Nigesa
Height: 143.68 m
Size: 34,850 m²
Important rooms: Plenary Hall, Audience Hall, Ministerial Rooms, Council Members' Private Rooms, Embassy Rooms of the Four Continents of the Elements

"When construction began, Milon Toshi was only 35 years old, and he dedicated the rest of his life to the new building. Sadly, he died two years before its completion. This statue was erected here as a memorial to him."

Tourist guide with guests in the entrance area-

Externally, the new building consisted of two levels in a square shape. The lower level features four equally sized main entrances, each symbolizing the four continents of the elements and aligned in the direction of their location relative to the World Tree. The main entrances are framed on both sides by large square towers, connected at the corners by large, round-arched passageways, creating narrow walkways between the towers.

Stairs inside the building lead to the roof of the first level, where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the city and the World Tree with the temple, or admire the dome of the second level from the outside. The second, smaller level is also square and follows the basic structure of the lower level. Viewed from above, the roof resembles an equilateral cross or four-leaf clover, with large leaf-shaped windows built into it.

Seat of the Council 20th Century AEC

Seat of the Council 24th Century AEC

The lightness of glass

In the 22nd century AEC, extensive restoration work began on the roof and the small level of the 17th-century building. During this time, it was discovered that the timber structure was infested with ruby-ball beetles, whose larvae were gnawing through many of the wooden beams. This led to the removal of the roof structure and its replacement with a new dome. The Layid architect Zawadi Nigesa, known for her use of glass elements that gave architecture a new sense of lightness, was commissioned to redesign the council building. The extension took approximately 18 years to complete and was officially opened in 2189 AEC.
While on the lower level, only the recessed main entrances were supplemented with generous glass facades, the second level was replaced by a round dome with enormous circular windows. The glass facades at the main entrances were decorated with stained glass and leaded glass, depending on the element represented by the respective entrance. The round dome of the roof was complemented on the outside by columns that echo the style of the towers on the first level and fit into Milon Toshi's original concept. The dome is adorned with a colorful globe by Elaqitan, symbolizing the cohesion of the world.

"Do you see how the light penetrates the dome and flows downwards? Morning and evening, the interior glows in warm tones of orange and purple, caressing the golden statues and plants placed around the dome. Thanks to the thermal insulation of the glass, you can enjoy the experience even on warm days."

Tourist guide with guests in the dome -

Wendelin would have fought back tears if, as a book dragon, he had been able to cry. Before he had to leave the Council's seat two years ago, the building still shone with the power of the sacred four elements. But as he now fluttered toward the building, the flags of the four continents, once proudly waving in the wind, hung torn from their masts. The dome's windows were partially shattered, and clouds of smoke rose into the sky. Everywhere lay the dead, slaughtered by the warriors of the Idacian army, whose blood now soaked the marble stairs in front of the building. Had Wendelin taken too long to return? Was it already too late to win the battle?

Excerpt from the novel, 2,701 AEC

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In response to Stormbrill's unofficial challenge

Marchitecture 2025