- "The Guardian of the Gates led them through the city's green streets until they came to a big beautiful building, exactly in the middle of the City, which was the Palace of Oz, the Great Wizard. There was a soldier before the door, dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long green beard. "Here are strangers," said the Guardian of the Gates to him, "and they demand to see the Great Oz." "Step inside," answered the soldier, "and I will carry your message to him." So they passed through the Palace gates and were led into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with sparkling emeralds. The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green mat before entering this room, and when they were seated he said, politely: "Please make yourselves comfortable while I go to the door of the Throne Room and tell Oz you are here. "
- ―The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
- "First they came to a great hall in which were ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich costumes. These people had nothing to do but talk to each other, but they always came to wait outside the Throne Room every morning, although they were never permitted to see Oz."
- ―The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
The Royal Palace of Oz aka "The Emerald Throne Room" or "Royal Chamber", is a fictional element invented by L. Frank Baum, author and creator of the Oz legacy. In Baum's later Oz books, the palace also becomes simply known as "Ozma's Chambers".
The palace of Oz stands in the exact center of the Emerald City being it's imperial capital building which was built for the Wizard in his honor while he ruled over the Land of Oz. During his reign, very few people we're ever permitted to enter his palace as Oz did not want anyone finding out about his Humbug ways. However, When the Wizard finally left in his hot air balloon after the arrival of Dorothy Gale and his eventual discovery, he left the Scarecrow in charge during his absence to take over the Royal Throne and Rule as the King of the palace and city while he was gone. The Scarecrow was then the official Monarch of the Land of Oz all up until Glinda the Good Witch of the South found the long lost Princess Ozma, daughter of Fairy Queen Lurline and mortal king Pastoria. This forced the Scarecrow to resign as ruler and he was happy to do so, for Oz had finally found it's last surviving member of royal blood. Ozma was immediately put in her proper place as the rightful ruler and child Queen of Oz. The palace of Oz now belongs to Princess Ozma and is her official home which is always guarded by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers.
Many other magic characters from other fantasy lands outside of Oz, have visited the Royal Palace for banquets or celebrations such as Santa Claus who attended Ozma's birthday party. He sat at a table with her that was lavished with many good foods and treats. During his stay she loaned him the Sawhorse so he could travel around the city and see the sights. (The Road to Oz).
Baum's Description[]
- "So Dorothy said good-bye to all her friends except Toto, and taking the dog in her arms followed the green girl through seven passages and up three flights of stairs until they came to a room at the front of the Palace. It was the sweetest little room in the world, with a soft comfortable bed that had sheets of green silk and a green velvet counterpane. There was a tiny fountain in the middle of the room, that shot a spray of green perfume into the air, to fall back into a beautifully carved green marble basin. Beautiful green flowers stood in the windows, and there was a shelf with a row of little green books. When Dorothy had time to open these books she found them full of queer green pictures that made her laugh, they were so funny. In a wardrobe were many green dresses, made of silk and satin and velvet; and all of them fitted Dorothy exactly. "Make yourself perfectly at home," said the green girl, "and if you wish for anything ring the bell. Oz will send for you tomorrow morning." "
- ―The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
The palace in the Emerald City is the most noble and luxurious establishment in all of Oz. Queen Ozma's palace is said to be four stories high with three flights of stairs and has seven passages which lead to the court room and it's Royal chambers. Before entering one must always wipe their feet on a plush green rug before being allowed to pass.
Some sections of the palace are entirely constructed out of all mirrored glass, reaching from the ground and stretching up to the ceilings. The floors and walls are all mirror, so one will find themselves completely surrounded by their own reflection at every angle wherever direction they look. In every room and hallway, giant chandeliers hang beautifully from the emerald studded ceilings.
All of the chambers in the palace have lots of décor all chosen in good taste that is decorated with glittering gems, solid gold clocks and thousands of emeralds. The rooms are private suites, filled with rich green carpet, green satin draperies with gold and silver tassels that hang from them and dangling to the carpeted ground. Solid gold antique furniture encrusted with jewels and fancy fireplaces with mantles gorgeously cluttered with objects such as jeweled eggs and porcelain figurines. There are comfortable canopy beds filled with silk and satin bedding in every room, as well as a bathroom with a green marble tub and even a private sitting room. These rooms are all connected, making an apartment for each resident.
Each bedroom and sitting room holds an elegant credenza and a wardrobe of gorgeous and handsome clothing that fits it's guest perfectly. The rooms are also filled with cozy velvet chairs, glass tables with sterling silver platters laid out which are filled with scrumptious treats to eat and bookshelves with many green books to read filled with funny illustrations. Many oil paintings of Oz's history hang upon the walls and attractive statues stand at every corner. Next to the draperies, delicate green marble vases are placed by the green tinted glass windows that are said to be filled with fresh blooming flowers. To complete the suites, electric green marble water fountains are placed in the center as the focal point of the rooms. Theses fountains spray green perfumed water high up into the air, so high in fact that the green water is said to almost reach the sparkling ceiling, all while filling the rooms with refreshing fragrances.
Oz's Imperial Throne Chamber...[]
- "She opened a little door and Dorothy walked boldly through and found herself in a wonderful place. It was a big, round room with a high arched roof, and the walls and ceiling and floor were covered with large emeralds set closely together. In the center of the roof was a great light, as bright as the sun, which made the emeralds sparkle in a wonderful manner. But what interested Dorothy most was the big throne of green marble that stood in the middle of the room. It was shaped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else. In the center of the chair was an enormous Head, without a body to support it or any arms or legs whatever. There was no hair upon this head, but it had eyes and a nose and mouth, and was much bigger than the head of the biggest giant. "
- ―The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
The Throne of Oz stands on a high Imperial pedestal above the ground that is gracefully lead by several steps carpeted in velvet and has soft embroidered cushions upon it. The chair itself is made of incredibly thick solid gold incrusted with enough precious gems and rare stones to stock a dozen American jewelry stores. At both sides of the great throne there are large cushion pillows placed on the floor, reserved for the Cowardly Lion and his good animal friend the Hungry Tiger.
Both are there to sit and protect to guard Princess Ozma from any attack, but it is said that it`s useless because nobody with a beating heart would attack Ozma because all of the people in Oz love and adore her unconditionally.
There is also a second little throne chair for her royal highness Dorothy Gale, who Ozma invited to live in Oz forever and made her an official Princess, which stands at Ozma's feet. Another small chair like Dorothy's and also covered in gems, is usually placed below the other two chairs and is reserved for either the Scarecrow or Tin Woodman. In the throne room there is also a big balcony of green polished marble that overlooks the entire city below. The balcony is said to be so large that a whole orchestra can comfortably play music for the royal court of Oz when royal balls, banquets or other celebrations are held on special occasions such as Birthdays. On this balcony are electric fountains that light up at night and spray green perfumed fragrance of water so high into the air it nearly touches the Palace ceiling.
There are lots of busy servants and helpers who happily take care of the Palace, such as Jellia Jamb the Emerald City maid. Dorothy Gale is very found of Jellia who worked there long before Ozma was put back in her place, when the wizard was still ruling. Everything inside the building is clean and presentable for Ozma, her royal court or visiting guest.
Royal Gardens[]
Outside, there are many marble wall gardens on the Palace grounds that are richly covered in ivy and vines. Flowers of all colors and kinds bloom amoung the paths.
The gardens have glass roofs to let in the sunshine so the plants can grow. It is said that Ozma has her very own secret rose garden and giant water fountains with swans swimming inside and lily pads afloat. Bird baths are placed about for the birds who fly into the royal gardens and green marble benches are around to sit at to admire the scenery. Ozma is very found of her private garden, for it is where she goes to meditate and seek peace or simply just spend time with Dorothy, who is also her best friend. The Emerald City of Oz. In her Royal garden, are the most attractive blossoming flowers that have ever grown and there are luscious fruit that glitters in tress which are as tall as any of the buildings in the Emerald City. At the rear of the Palace is a stable decorated with pearls and emeralds, the home of the Sawhorse. And a royal chicken coop that is also adorned in fancy jewels. For Billina the yellow hen of Kansas lives and looks after her baby chicks all named Dorothy, after Dorothy Gale.
Royal Suites[]
Every resident and regular guest has a private apartment suite which contains both a dressing and sitting room and a bed chamber.
The dressing room is filled with beautiful clothing and accessories of the finest jewelry and a vanity is placed in the middle of the room with creams, powders, hair brushes and perfume or cologne bottles. The sitting room has lots of expensive antique furniture and other attractive nick-nacks and décor. There are bookshelves filled with hundreds of books about every subject imaginable and flowers are placed in all the windows. In the middle of the sitting room is a water fountain of green perfumed water. Delicious cakes and rich treats are laid out on silver or golden platters which are placed with fresh food daily. Dorothy has a suite filled with her hearts desires such as dresses fit for only a princess, expensive china dolls and books with funny pictures. In the bed chambers contain the most softest canopy beds in the world that are covered in satin, velvet and silk sheets and stuffed feathered pillows. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em also were given suites when the two came to live permanently in Oz forever and become immortal like Dorothy, after they became bankrupt and could no longer afford to keep the Kansas farm. They have everything they admire in their rooms also.
Oz's Royal Palace History:[]
The Royal Palace was first introduced in Baum's first Oz book. Whe a little girl from a farm.in Kansas named Dorothy Gale is swept away the land of Oz via cyclone, she must seek out the Wizard who lives in the Throne Room in the Emerald City. After Dorothy killed the Wicked Witch of the West under the Wizard's command, she and her comrades found out that the Wizard was Humbug. In the end of he story, when the Wizard leaves Oz just as he came, the Scarecrow temporarily becomes the official King of the city and its citizens.
The Royal Palace of Oz (1939)[]
The Palace has been adapted on screen in many versions of the Oz stories. Most notably in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz (1939).
In this version the throne room is guarded by the Soldier with the Green Whiskers who also is a messenger for the Wizard, who never allows non citizens to enter inside of the Emerald City, or allow anyone to ever see him. But the Wizard makes an exception for Dorothy and her friends once it is known that she is wearing the Ruby Slippers. The throne chamber is found at the end of a long and lightly dimmed arched hallway, the room itself is all green. The throne chair is placed on a pedestal of many high steps and in the background is a giant green organ that shoots out hot, flaming fire balls and green smoke into the air.
Return to Oz 1985[]
In Disney's 1985 cult classic Return to Oz, the throne chamber is taken over by vain and evil Princess Mombi during most of the film as she changes it from a throne room to her own personal bed and sitting chambers filled with a collection of beautiful heads to wear.
Here, the look of the throne room is more faithful to Baum's description of the interior design of mirrored walls and floors and giant chandeliers. In the end of the film, Dorothy Gale finally wishes everything back to normal again after defeating the Nome King. And the Throne Room is taken over by the beautiful Princess Ozma, who is the rightful ruler of Oz.
Oz the Great & Powerful[]
In Disney's 2013 movie Oz the Great and Powerful, Evanora a sister Witch to Glinda and Theodora, resides in the royal chambers before Oscar Diggs defeated her after discovering that she was in fact a Wicked Witch all along.
The look of the throne room changed back to a more closer, almost identical look from the MGM musical.
Background[]
In her books, Ruth Plumly Thompson often calls Ozma's palace a "castle" - which is not the same thing.
Kenneth Gage Baum gives the royal palace a lightning-powered clock called the Metachron that controls time in Oz. (The Dinamonster of Oz)