Mos Espa / Legends Mos Espa was a spaceport on Tatooine . It was the home of Anakin and Shmi Skywalker and also held the famous Mos Espa Grand Arena , at which the annual Boonta Eve Classic podrace was held , and the location of Watto ' s shop . Characteristics . Mos Espa was an expansive spaceport and rested near the Dune Sea . It consisted of the dome - roofed , adobe buildings found in cities across Tatooine , and was said to appear as a great , twisting snake , hunkered down to escape the heat . Most residents either were involved in crime business with the Hutts or were poor shopkeepers and moisture farmers trying to eke out a living in the inhospitable desert . The biggest retail business in Mos Espa seems to have been junk - dealing , and even small dealers like Watto the Toydarian seemed to rake in a substantial amount of money , albeit sometimes unscrupulously . Locals who spoke Huttese did so with a distinct accent . The other major activity in Mos Espa was gambling on the podraces held in the nearby grand arena . The podrace that set Anakin Skywalker free from slavery was held at Mos Espa . Jabba the Hutt may have had some sort of seasonal residence in the city . History . Like most Tatooine settlements , it began as a mining colony . When the mining efforts failed , the dying settlement attracted the criminal Hutts , who took control and turned the city into a thriving yet dangerous spaceport . It gained a deadly reputation for lethal podraces sponsored by the Hutts to encourage gambling . During the reign of the Hutts , the population consisted mostly of slaves , slavers and poor settlers , not including the large number of spacers and smugglers who briefly stayed in the city before moving on to the next rock . The town also boasted at least two local ghost stories : the spooky and mysterious Nobot and a strange ship left deserted on the outskirts that was believed to be haunted . Around the Trade Federation blockade of Naboo , Padmé Amidala and her Jedi escorts arrived in Mos Espa seeking a new hyperdrive . After finding a suitable one in Watto ' s junk dealership , Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn made a deal with the Toydarian to exchange the parts and for freedom for his young slave boy Anakin . The deal went in Qui - Gon ' s favor , and Anakin came with him to Coruscant , marking a pivotal moment in galactic history . Years later , when the Galactic Empire arrived on Tatooine , the podraces were outlawed , and the city lost its illicit reputation and allure . Jabba the Hutt left for more lucrative parts unknown . In about 1 ABY the town was invaded by Tusken Raiders led by the Tusken King , but they were soon driven out by a group of spacers . An auction was held in 8 . 5 ABY for the Alderaanian moss painting " Killik Twilight " . It was sought by many bidders , in particular Commander Quenton on behalf of the Galactic Empire and Captain Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo on behalf of the New Republic . It was stolen from the auction by Kitster Banai . The Solos , C - 3PO and Chewbacca with the assistance of a Weequay , Grunts , searched through Mos Espa for the painting . Golden Age . Since the departure of Jabba , the city gained a new reputation : as a respectable and law - abiding , bustling town . It remained a center of trade on the planet and a welcome rest stop for travelers seeking to trek into the deadly Dune Sea nearby . Behind the scenes . The real - world locations of Mos Espa are in Tunisia . The sets in Oung Jmel are still standing . Ksar Hadada , Ksar Medenine and Ksar Ouled Soltane were filmed for Mos Espa ' s Slave Quarters Row . On July 19 , 2013 , it was reported that the sets will soon be buried under encroaching sand dunes . In the first printing of " The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader " , Mos Espa is misspelled " Mos Epsa " on page 19 .