Caprica City

Caprica City, before the Cylon attack.

Caprica City is the capital city of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, located on the planet Caprica. The city itself was divided into a number of smaller districts and neighborhoods that are given placeholder names for easier reference.

Overview

Downtown Caprica City.

Caprica City is an ocean-front urban center, bisected by a river that flows to the sea from lakes located in hills beyond the city center. The largest city on the colony of Caprica, Caprica City was home to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the Colonial Government as well as its own police force, the Caprica City Police ("Maelstrom", "Daybreak, Part I"). Colonial Military installations including spaceports (Razor) and the Colonial Defense Mainframe (Six Degrees of Separation) were also located within the city limits.

A large civilian airport/spaceport linked the city with other cities and the rest of the Twelve Colonies, while the hills behind the city provided secluded living space. The city was also surrounded by a number of smaller hamlets, such as Oasis. Luminaries of colonial life living in Caprica City included famed scientist Doctor Gaius Baltar (Miniseries).

Prior to the Cylon attack on the colonies, Caprica City was home to some 7 million people; Caprica City is completely destroyed by a Cylon nuclear detonation (in the 50 megaton range) during the Fall. After the Fall, the city abandoned by its human inhabitants and occupied by a force of Cylon centurions and humanoid models who worked to rebuild the city (Downloaded).

Richard Adar once served as mayor of Caprica City before later going on to run for Governor of Caprica, then President of the Colonies (Daybreak, Part I & II).

The Riverwalk

The Riverwalk section of Caprica City is located on a river that bisects the Colonial capital. This neighborhood's main attraction was the Riverwalk Market, an open-air bazaar full of vendor stands selling fresh fruit, construction materials and other goods. Various types of citizens congregated in this zone, from businessmen to shoppers and construction workers.

It is in a smaller area of Riverwalk, the Government Center Plaza that Baltar first strolls with Six after meeting her (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II). The market was also the site where Six murders Chantara's baby in a form of mercy-killing. Surrounding the market stalls was a snaking complex of glass and steel supported by columns. Various landscaped gardens and reflecting pools occupied the unused land between the market and complex. Behind the market complex, a few of Caprica City's trademark silver office towers could be seen (Miniseries).

City center

This is the area reached by Baltar and Six after they passed the Riverwalk. The city center contained the highest density of skyscrapers, occupation parks and hi-tech industries. Since all city traffic was airborne, the city center had no paved roads. Instead, the spaces between the buildings were occupied by a system of walkways, steps, plazas, gardens and water features. This provided the perfect municipal commons area where citizens could jog, take infants out for walks, play with friends, buy a balloon or simply take a pleasant afternoon stroll. In the Miniseries, Baltar and Six walk through one of the central city's landscaped gardens. While Baltar talks about himself, Six is stealing curious glances at various citizens as they pass by.

Government center plaza

This complex contained the Colonial legislative, executive and judicial branches of government (Epiphanies), as well as the Ministry of Defense's mainframe (Six Degrees of Separation). It was located in the Riverwalk section of Caprica City, presumably in the complex over the district's marketplace. Through its gardens and walkways, much human traffic could be seen. President Adar's office was here (Epiphanies). During the Cylon attack, a reporter for Channel 7 News is reporting from there on the population's reaction to the nuclear bombardment before he and a background cafe table are blown away by the shockwave of a bomb that detonates over Caprica City (Miniseries).

Little Tauron

One ethnic enclave within the city was home to a sizable Tauron population. Residents of the neighborhood could speak the Tauron language openly, and shops selling Tauron foods and other goods were known to display signs written in Tauron script. Members of the Ha'la'tha were able to operate in relative comfort in Little Tauron (CAP: "Rebirth").

Related Imagery

• 
  A view of Caprica City from the shore.
• 
  An aerial view of Caprica City.
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  Caprica City at night (Daybreak, Part II).
• 
  Zoic Studios's computer generated render of Caprica City from the Miniseries.
• 
  Another Zoic computer generated render of Caprican Plaza from the Miniseries.

Notes

• The Riverwalk complex and garden is actually the campus of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
• Caprica City contained several pyramid-shaped buildings. This is a reference to the Caprica of the Original Series, which was influenced by Egyptian mythology and symbolism.