Everyone has a favorite strategy to claim victory in Civilization 6, so it’s easy to ignore World Wonders that could change the entire game. The AI (and human competitors, for that matter) prioritize their construction plans in ways that leave an opening for a smart player to seize the advantage. Regardless of victory conditions or starting point, any leader who wants to build a civilization for the ages can’t lose out during the early game.
Civilization 6 does offer multiple paths to victory, but some World Wonders fit into any strategy. Whether you plan to dominate humanity or lead it into the stars, these ten world wonders can support your goals. If you want a jump start on the competition, focus resources on building these game-changers.
10 The Oracle
Early competition for this World Wonder can get fierce because it only requires nearby Hills to build. The first civilization to claim it will receive numerous boosts to gain the upper hand in the early game.
Districts typically only give 1 Great Person point, but The Oracle coupled with the proper planning can increase that to +6. Players focused on domination may want to skip this World Wonder, but it’s not a bad option either way. Early resources may be needed to protect the homeland, but the early benefits can help any civilization finish with the top score. Pick the best government policies to have a Great Person factory after building The Oracle.
9 Petra
It’s worth purchasing nearby land for this World Wonder. Building Petra is a must for desert-based civilizations to thrive. While others may assume that players can’t feed their people from their position, the Petra provides a wealth of stoors for arid climates, benefitting every desert tile within the player’s civilization. The benefits in question are as follows.
After creating an oasis in the desert, a player can create their own Mesopotamia by building the Pyramids, too. It’s impossible to avoid massive growth after using three builders to create farms, build mines, and stable horses.
8 Pyramids
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest World Wonder and one of the best wonders for a fledgling empire in Civ 6. It’s impossible to build cities that everyone will envy without builders. That’s why the volunteer builder provided with the Pyramids is a welcome freebie from a wonder. The Pyramids wonder also provides other bonuses which remain in effect for the remainder of the game.
This combination of wonder bonuses offers a crucial winning edge, even on the most insane difficulty levels. The sooner a civilization can take advantage of nearby resources, the better for its survival. Got a terrible starting position that lacks resources? Rush to build this wonder to give infrastructure an early boost. Pick the best and avoid the worst promotions for governors to find the final path to victory.
7 Temple of Artemis
Any player can take early advantage of the Temple of Artemis with a camp within the city limits. Building this World Wonder gives a young civilization the upper hand on several accounts.
It’s best to build three to four cities before attempting to build this one. Whether the goal is to provide growth in close quarters or claim the largest city, it’s worth dedicating turns to building the Temple of Artemis.
6 Colossus
The city of Rhodes built The Colossus to celebrate defending the city against a Macedonian siege. In short, it’s an ancient World Wonder that doubles as a way to taunt enemies with a giant statue of a naked man. For Civ 6, building the Colossus means bragging rights. Here’s what you’ll gain to lord over the competition.
Early economic advantages prop up any strategy to reach a Victory Condition. Having an extra trade route early in the game with a free unit to take advantage of it establishes a financially sound civilization.
5 Forbidden City
The Forbidden City World Wonder gives players an early gift that keeps giving through the endgame and beyond.
It’s a huge benefit to have the flexibility of an extra Wildcard Policy on the path to any victory of choice. It’s also essential to claim a quick Science Victory. The increased Culture for the rest of the game shouldn’t go unnoticed either.
After unlocking Printing, dedicate a city to building the Forbidden City right away. It needs flat land next to the City Center. Players may consider this for what they have dedicated to being a “cultural center” or to mend a weak link in the Culture Victory chain.
4 Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The AI in Civilization 6 often undervalue completing this World Wonder, and it has surprising benefits worth grabbing for any civilization. After building this next to a harbor, the following benefits affect every coastal tile within the city borders:
The Science Victory benefits of this structure are obvious, but the overall value is undeniable, too. Civ 6 is a game about finding advantages and exploiting them to the fullest. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus gives players that opportunity starting in the Classical Era.
3 Colosseum
Players can do more than please their people with deadly games in the Colosseum, like Emperor Vespasian or his son Titus. While that’s an obvious benefit, the Colosseum’s other properties will distract any group of megacities from the fact that a player is conquering cities with ease abroad.
These benefits affect a six-tile radius, meaning leaders forced to wage war in close quarters run a lesser risk of losing loyalty with the locals. Alternatively, other civs would struggle without the bountiful Culture and amenities.
After building the Colosseum and taunting friends online, take advantage of the bonuses. A happy population is a more productive one that can crank out units for war or build more World Wonders to make everyone jealous. The best or the worst leaders in the game can win with this building in the right circumstances.
2 Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a beautiful World Wonder to have in any civilization. It is one of Civ 6’s best wonders it provides benefits that can be easy to overlook.
Whether you’re racing toward a Religious Victory or otherwise, this is one of the best World Wonders to get you where you’re going. For fans who played hundreds or thousands of hours of Civilization 4, Angkor Wat essentially serves the same function as the Hanging Gardens. Ironically, going out of your way to build the gardens in Civ 6 is not recommended.
1 Kilwa Kisiwani
Don’t ignore this World Wonder because the AI does not often prioritize this above others in the game. Prioritizing the Kilwa Kisiwani is especially beneficial to coastal cities as they reap the following benefits:
Found out that a rival is close to launching a rocket to colonize planets? Become the Suzerain of a City-State that specializes in science to quickly catch up using the Kilwa Kisiwani. This World Wonder is easy to overlook because it doesn’t seem necessary for a particular victory, but players want its benefits on their side instead of the competition.
NEXT: Civilization 6: 10 Things Only Found In The Late Game
