An old city that shows fading and almost-forgotten vestiges of ancient history. A Gym is indispensible in any town that has many people coming and going. This city is no exception. The Cycle Shop is located here. There is also a big building with a slightly sinister atmosphere. A statue of an ancient Pokémon is prominently and reverently displayed.
Eterna City (Japanese: ハクタイシティHakutai City) is a city in the region of Sinnoh; it is an older city, showing the signs of history.
There is a rather large statue of an ancient Pokémon (in Diamond, it is named as Dialga, in Pearl, Palkia, and in Platinum, it is a combination of both) on the east side of town. The statue was once the main center of festivals in the town, although signs of the town's culture and rituals have started to slip away. Of late, both Team Galactic and Cynthia become interested in the statue. After the National Pokédex has been obtained and the player has visited Pal Park, Professor Oak appears in the southernmost house in the city.
In this building, Sinnoh's Name Rater can be found, as well as a person named Norton who will trade a Chatot for a Buizel, and yet another who will give away TM67 (Recycle).
The Eterna Gym is one of the Gyms located in the Sinnoh region, and run by the Gym LeaderGardenia, who specializes in Grass-type Pokémon. Defeating Gardenia yields the Forest Badge, TM86 (Grass Knot), and the ability to use Cut outside of battle.
One of the two Team Galactic Headquarters is located here, adding a dark and sinister atmosphere in the city. In Pokémon Platinum, the building looks vastly different from its appearance in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. To reach the building, the move Cut must be used on a small tree blocking the entrance.
This Bicycle Shop is a store where Bicycles are sold. However, the player is never able to purchase a bicycle from here, as one is obtained for free once the store's owner is rescued from the Galactic Eterna building.
Ancient Statue
This Pokémon Statue is up a little hill to the east of Eterna City. In Diamond and Pearl, the statue has a plate (dependent on the game), while in Pokémon Platinum the plate has been torn off the statue. It was once the centerpiece of many festivals.
A man in the house just south of the statue will tell the player the two inscriptions. In the Team Galactic HQ building in Veilstone City, a report can be found with missing text generated with a machine (indicated by "...") when described by the man in the house. The text extracted by the machine is written in bolded text.
The first one says this: The creation of DIALGA, The giver of time...
In laughter, there is tears...
And, likewise it is with time.
The same time flows on. For it is the blessing of DIALGA.
The second one says this: The birth of PALKIA. The creator of parallel dimensions...
Alive, yet not alive... Everything drifts in space...
To arrive in the same universe. It is the blessing of PALKIA.
Demographics
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Eterna City has 51 residents, not counting Team Galactic, with the majority of the population in buildings on the main street.
Pokémon Platinum
In Pokémon Platinum, Eterna City has 50 residents, not counting Team Galactic, with the majority of the population in buildings on the main street.
class="roundybottom" style="background: #Template:City color light; color: #000000" colspan="14" | A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
Eterna City first appears in Ring Around the Roserade I where Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum arrive while on their journey through the Sinnoh Region. In this canon the statue is neither Dialga or Palkia but a combination of the two statues (similar to how it appears in the games). Like many major cities of the region, Eterna City houses a Grand Hotel where the main trio stays.
Trivia
Eterna's Japanese town motto is むかしを いまにつなぐ まち.
In Pokémon Platinum, there is a man in Eterna that states there was another Plate, other than Dialga and Palkia's plate, but he has never seen it. It may be for Giratina.
Name origin
Language
Name
Origin
Japanese
ハクタイシティ Hakutai City
百代 (hakutai) means eternal.
English
Eterna City
Eterna is a shortening of eternal, a word that is synonymous with forever.
French
Vestigion
From Vestige, remain.
German
Ewigenau
From Ewig, forever.
Italian
Evopoli
From evo, era, epoch.
Spanish
Ciudad Vetusta
Vetusta means very ancient.
Korean
영원시티 Yeong'weon City
영원 (yeong'weon) means eternal.
Chinese (Mandarin)
百代市 Bǎidài Shì
From 百代 hakutai. Literally means "Hundred generation city".