Helmira
Helmira, officially The Eternal Imperial Capital of the Kythiran Empire, Helmira, formerly known as Kythira and Helmsdeep, is the oldest and largest city in the whole of Minecraftia by both population and surface area. Colloquially it is known as the City of Lights, the Eternal City, the City of Palaces, the Imperial City and the City of Blocks. In some parts of the Kingdom of Ardoragh it is also referred to as the White City. The megacity is located on the coast of the Narrow Sea, in the Kythiran Kingdom of the Heartlands.
The city was formally founded by H.I.H. Emperor Viromaro in the Third Era, although much of the city has existed as early as the late First Era in the form of the capital cities of the Kingdom of Kythira and the Kingdom of Helmsdeep. Historically and culturally the conquest and subsequent unification of those two cities have been seen as the birth of the Kythiran Empire.
The city has been a global center of finance, culture, diplomacy, commerce, architecture and gastronomy. It is the seat of the White-Gold Tower, making it the heart of the Empire's government. The Kythiran royal family, House Viromaro, live their lives predominantly in the city.
The city, the size of which matches and exceeds some kingdoms, is sometimes described as the Seventh Kingdom of the Empire. The Helmiran Council manages the city together with the Lord-Mayor. The Helmira Royal City Guard, known as the yel
Although the wealthiest place in Minecraftia, there is a rather large underbelly of corruption, with wealthy smuggle-barons and titans of industry often intermingling in the city's upper-class parties.
Culture
Helmira is, in a way, still two cities in one. Although the topographic divide has been completely wiped out through years of urban planning, her economic and social divides still linger. The classes of society seen throughout the Empire are all well represented here, with the city's wealthiest upper crust, who usually made their fortunes through either the trade in goods or the trade in slaves, and a select few through smuggling, try to attach themselves to Kythira's nobility in order to win political influence. The rest of the city's population is a mixture of middle and lower class families. The middle class often working for the government or one of the many trading companies headquartered in the city. The lower classes usually work in menial jobs, such as lower staff in the many mansions and estates across the city.
The one thing that unites all these different groups is culture, often in the form of (musical) theatre. The Royal Helmsdeep Theatre Society, the oldest of its kind, has been producing plays non-stop since the early Second Era, surviving the Great Grief and the Dark Ages in more-or-less the same shape. Droves of Kythirans from all walks of life and from all across the Empire, be it from far in southern Ardoragh or high up in the northern Riverlands, still come to Helmira to be entertained at one of her many theatres, enjoying the finest opera, simple stage plays or great symphonies.
Great artists have and continue to reside in Helmira for centuries, from painters to poets.
Sights
During the late First Era the Kingdom of Kythira was founded. Its capital still exists today, much as it was in ancient times, and is now known as the Old City. Sitting in the north of Helmira, it is smaller than some palaces within the capital, but it offers a very unique look into how life was like during the First Era. It includes the world's first public library, the old royal palace and throne room of the Kythiran Kingdom, as well as the world's first bridge. Atop a mountain peak stands the Redstone Alliance Tower, an ancient monument to a secret organization that influenced much of the world in the pre-Great Grief world.
Economy
Helmira is one of the wealthiest cities in the world, if not the wealthiest, due to it being a global center of trade. Due to the One Nation One Gate Laws enacted by the White Gold Tower, all trade coming into and going out of the Kythiran Empire has to move through Helmira. This has also facilitated the construction of the largest commercial harbour in the world, and the Helmiran Fleet itself is a formidable force only outsized by the Mediori Fleet.
Imperial City
Helmira is the center of the Kythiran Empire for many reasons, one of which is it being the home of the empire's royal family, as well as the vast majority of the Kythiran elite. Even the nobility hailing from the more remote provinces such as Alcanzar and Ardoragh have summer palaces and mansions in the vast city. For this reason, the city is also known for having such a massive amount of galas, balls and parties that the wealthy are able to mingle high-class at some event at least once every evening.
Safety
Helmira is well known for being the safest city in the Kythiran Empire, which is aided by a large regiment of the Kythiran Imperial Legion, the Kythiran Imperial Navy and the Imperial Helmiran Guards, the latter acting as a formal police force within the city boundaries. Its city walls, designed and build predominantly by Imperius engineers and craftsmen, are well known as some of if not the strongest in the world.
Notable buildings
The White Gold Tower
Center of government for the Kythiran Empire and tallest man-made building in Minecraftia.
The Imperial Palace
Official residence of the imperial House of Viromaro
Forum of Minecraftia
A center of diplomacy for Minecraftia
Villa Altojardin
Former royal palace of the Kings of Kythira, today a guest house for dignitaries who attend either the Forum of Minecraftia or the Peace Palace.
The Peace Palace
A palace next to the Forum of Minecraftia and connected to the Villa Altojardin. Meant as a place of
The Lindenborgh
Guest palace for visiting heads of state
Fort Winterhal
Private winter palace of the ruling House of Viromaro
The Grand Kythiran Obelisk
Monument to the formation of the City of Helmira. At 169 meters tall one of the tallest man-made objects in the world.
FH20 Grounds
Largest Iceboating race track in Minecraftia
Kythiran Games Grounds
Sport grounds for the annual Kythiran Games. Includes a large arena, a hippodrome, a Spleef arena, swimming arena, Elytra arena and Iceboating arena.
Hotel Ye Olde Tower
Sport
Supreme Court
Sport