The palace in which the 52nd Earth King resided dates back at least four hundred years to the time of the 46th Earth King; in all likelihood, it is as old as the current city which surrounds it. It was the home of all known Earth Kings and their families until the Fire Nation coup which deposed the 52nd Earth King; after this, it became the home of Joo Dee, the city's Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator. The Earth Kingdom Royal Palace is situated over the ruins of Old Ba Sing Se, an underground city which was the site of the first settlement at Ba Sing Se.