Luntat

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Luntat
Nation: Qalustan
Function: Capital of Qalustan
Capital of Vran'i Province
Population: 1 million
Leader: Smael Zanqun


Luntat is the capital city of Vran’i Province and of Qalustan as a whole. The buildings housing the two Houses of Parliament, as well as the provincial legislature, are located there, along with Luntat Castle, the oldest cathedral in Qalustan and one of the largest and most popular universities in Qalustan. Through it runs the River Tharoon, and above it tower the slopes of Mount Tharoon.


History

Luntat began its existence as a small village around 1500 years ago. At that time it was a simple farming village. It is said that this village was where Saint Engbur began his mission. The small wooden church that was once the centre of the village is long gone, but on virtually the same spot stands Luntat Cathedral. Because of Saint Engbur, and the legend that somewhere on Mount Tharoon is the site of the hermitage where he spent the last forty years of his life, the town is still visited by thousands of pilgrims each year, despite the current government’s de-emphasis of religion.

When Hb’enig Drah conquered the region in the twelfth century AD, he built a fort there and stationed a garrison. Over the years, more and more people came though the town. In 1542, Emperor Igued IX ordered a castle built there to help secure the holy site against potential invaders.

Luntat became the capital of the Empire after it was moved to from Hb’en in 1785, when the nobles demanded more power. The Imperial residence moved from Drah Palace in Hb’en to Luntat Castle, and an Assembly of noblemen was set up.

In August 2001, when the Revolution began, Luntat was the first place to be taken by the People’s Hand, and it was from the city that Colonel Zanwar Qal co-ordinated his efforts against the Imperialist forces. Today, it remains the capital of the People’s Republic of Qalustan.

Districts

The city is divided into five main areas:

  • Imperial/River District – the location of most government buildings, the Imperial Bridge and Meviža Square, this is the beating heart of the city.

  • Old Town – the location of Luntat Castle and Cathedral, this is the northernmost part of the city. Most people living here permanently are government officials.

  • The East End – This part of the city, once filled with cramped slums which have since been renovated and expanded into spacious apartments, is where the city’s workforce live. The population boom that followed the Revolution has meant that many young families have come flocking to the city, and Luntat has welcomed them with open arms.

  • University Town – Luntat University’s location in the southwest of the city has given rise to a fashionable, youthful district. Its street-corner cafés are constantly abuzz with conversation and debate. It is home to the cutting edge music scene and the intellectual elite.

  • South Crescent – on the very south of the city, this demi-suburban area is full of new homes on wide, leafy streets. Although still new, it is filling up with people who, under the new laws, can make themselves moderately comfortable instead of scraping the most meagre of livings.

Features of Luntat

The northernmost part of the city is the Old Town. There is a whole district of shops and hotels catering to those planning an excursion up Mount Tharoon, and Luntat Cathedral is located here as well. Pilgrims still travel to it every year, and most also visit the Qalustani Museum of Art and Culture (Vobezé Arta-r’-Qile-duor Qalustan-duor; commonly known as the VOQU), which was set up in 2003 by the Janedra Sundut Foundation.

The modern centre of the northern city is Meviža Square (Zuh-Meviža), which on almost every day is crowded with market stalls. Beyond this is the I’ke-Qal (Qal Avenue; formerly Imperial Avenue) leading up to Luntat Castle, home of the President. It is where state functions are held, where the cabinet meets and where the country’s executive decisions are made. In front of the castle stands a statue of Zanwar Qal, with a famous quotation from his book, Midnight Moon, engraved on the pedestal.

Down at the riverside are the two Houses of Parliament. On the north side of the river, closer to the castle, is the Senate. The building has a large, white dome for a roof and is full of offices and corridors, but in the centre is the Senate Chamber. Across the Senate Boulevard (Jeva-Senatb) is the Imperial Bridge (Qovrin-Emprasmorst). Alone among the cities’ pre-Revolutionary monuments, this has retained its Imperial moniker. Unlike the others, which has theirs changed to “Qal” “National” or “People’s”, the bridge was allowed to keep its old name as, President Qal said when the decision was announced, “a tribute to those who came before us”.

On the other side of the river is Juniž Square, onto which faces the Council Chamber. Its building is rather larger, with a far more sober façade, on which are etched the words “Ae-oi-ta-ha’o Bé”, a translation of Qalustan’s Latin motto – “Non Servitam”, or “I Will Not Serve”. Also facing onto the square is the High Court of Qalustan.

Further into the south of the city is Wurdor Street (Uerdor-gomé), the location of many government offices, as well as the Uhoki Embassy and the chambers of the Vran’i Assembly (the provincial legislature of the province). In the south-west is the campus of Luntat University and the huge tower of the Bhivrina-Melgolze Qalustan-duor (National Library of Qalustan), which was finally completed an opened to the public on the fifth anniversary of Qalustani Independence Day in December 2006.

Transport

Luntat is served by an airship station, with both domestic and international dirigibles leaving every day. There is also a large railway station, Luntat Main (Luntat-ivolt), on the south side of the city with links to all of the other provinces.

Within the city, trams are the most popular mode of transportation. They run throughout the city, and are used a great deal since cars were banned by the government in 2007. Bicycles are also very popular, as are horses and horse-drawn carriages. Many pedal-driven rickshaws are also in operation around the city, operated either by independent drivers or government-sponsored ones.

The city has an underground railway station as well – the Lubidisgar. Operating thirty-six stations, plans exist to extend the system still further as the city grows.