Citadel

The Citadel is a large space station in Mass Effect.

This article contains major spoilers for every release of Mass Effect. You have been warned.

Location

The Citadel is located in open space in the Serpent Nebula, with a mass relay nearby. The closest inhabited star system is the Boltzmann system, which is a moderate distance away by mass effect FTL drive.

History

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Specifications

The true origins of the Citadel are hidden from most of the races in the galaxy. The station was originally built by the Reapers at an unknown time in the past, possiblly 37 million or more years ago. Sapient races typically discover mass effect technology left behind by extinct races from previous "cycles", leading them to discover FTL drive and the mass relay network. Discovery of the mass relays inevitably leads races to the Citadel, which typically becomes the center of a galactic government.

The full technological capabilities of the Citadel are unclear, but it is known to be capable of functioning as an enormous mass relay capable of summoning the Reapers from their hibernation area in "Dark Space". It is also the hardware platform for an advanced AI program that controls the Reapers themselves.