8 of the Best Civilization 6 Wonders to Build

Civilization 6 includes a variety of wonders of the world for players to build in their empires. Those are architectural marvels that provide unique effects for the civilizations that build them. As most wonders take somewhat longer to construct than standard buildings, you should focus on building the ones with the best effects. That raises a question: what are the best Civilization 6 wonders? These are eight of the best Civilization 6 wonders you should try to build in most of your games.

Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is my personal favorite Civilization 6 wonder because of the extra wildcard slot it gives players when built. Having an extra wildcard slot enables you to select any of the best policy cards in the game for whatever victory condition you’re going for. The best policy cards generally have superior effects to the wonders of the world. Plus, the Forbidden City also provides a nice +5 culture boost for unlocking civics a little quicker.

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty might be a slightly controversial best choice, but this is a must-have Civilization 6 wonder for players aiming for diplomacy victories in Gathering Storm. Building a Statue of Liberty gives you four diplomatic points, which amounts to almost 25% percent of the required 20 total for securing diplomacy victories. Even if you’re not aiming for the Diplomatic Victory, building the Statue of Liberty is also the best way to prevent other civilizations from securing diplomatic triumphs. Thus, it can potentially save you from losing games when built in Gathering Storm.

The 100% loyalty bonus for all your cities within six tiles of the Statue of Liberty is of secondary importance. That can be useful for ensuring loyalty in cities along borders that might potentially rebel. However, I wouldn’t recommend building this Civilization 6 wonder in the Rise & Fall DLC, which doesn’t include the Diplomatic Victory condition.

Ruhr Valley

Ruhr Valley is one of the best Civilization 6 wonders because it gives the city that includes it a substantial 20% production yield boost. Plus, it further boosts productivity with its +1 production yield bonus for each mine and quarry for the city that builds it. Such effects can significantly increase production for any city, making the Rhur Valley invaluable for securing scientific victories. However, this wonder is good for greatly boosting production in a city for all victory conditions, be it cultural, religious, or domination.

Kilwa Kisiwani

The Kilwa Kisiwana Civilization 6 wonder of the world in Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm has a terrific effect for increasing yields from city-states that include your suzerains. Having one suzerain in a city-state will boost its yield type by 15% for the city that includes Kilwa Kisiwana. Two suzerains in a city-state of the same type will increase its yield type by 15% for all your cities (30% in the settlement that includes this wonder). Thus, you can obtain significant cultural, science, gold, religious, or productivity yield increases by building the Kilwa Kisiwana.

Kilwa Kisiwani also grants your civilization three additional envoys. That’s not such a big reason to build it, but the three extra envoys will help you establish a suzerain in a city-state and provide a small yield increase. So, that’s a good bonus on top of Kilwa Kisiwani’s primary effect.

Pyramids

The Builder unit is the most important in Civilization 6, as all players need it throughout the game. The Pyramids is one of the best Civilization 6 wonders primarily because their effect gives your Builder units one extra build charge. This effect turbocharges all your Builders, enabling them to improve one additional tile each.

Pyramids are also a quick wonder to build with some additional bonuses. The +2 culture boost is a small bonus that the Pyramids provide. It also gives you a free Builder unit when built.

Big Ben

More gold will always help you win games, and the Big Ben wonder of the world will give your civilization a lucrative economic boost. Big Ben is among the best Civilization 6 wonders primarily because of the extra economic policy card slot it gives you when built. Yet, its effect also boosts your economy with a +6 gold per turn increase.

Also, note that Big Ben increases your overall gold total by 100% (50% in Gathering Storm). For example, you’ll receive 500 gold if that’s your treasury total when Big Ben’s construction is complete. So, you save your gold when building Big Ben to maximize profit from this wonder’s effect.

Potala Palace

Building the Potala Palace is recommended mainly because of the diplomatic policy card slot it gives your civilization. Although economic cards are more important, the best diplomatic policies, such as Gunboat Diplomacy and Merchant Confederation, still have good effects. Thus, building a Potala Palace is worth it for all victory conditions.

Potala Palace also has three other, less important, effects. It gives your civilization +2 culture and +3 faith yields per turn increases. In Gathering Storm, the Potala Palace also grants the civilization that builds it an extra diplomatic point, making it more valuable for players going for diplomacy victories.

Oxford University

Oxford University is the best Civilization 6 wonder for securing a Science Victory. This wonder increases science yields in the city it’s built by 20%, which is a significant boost. Plus, it automatically unlocks two technologies and increases great scientist points by three per turn. So, building it enables your civilization to attract more great scientists and boosts science output.

Cultural players will also appreciate the two great writing slots the Oxford wonder provides. Thus, it amounts to an additional Amphitheater building that respects, albeit without generating any cultural yields. With those great works slots, plus the usual wonder tourism generated, the Oxford wonder can attract more visitors to your civilization than some of the other alternatives.

Those Civilization 6 wonders have some of the most valuable effects that are beneficial for various victory conditions. I love the ones that give you extra policy cards, significantly increase yields, and award diplomatic points in Gathering Storm. The Pyramids wonder’s extra builder charge effect is also very valuable for increasing yields with more tile improvements. So, they’re wonders that should be at the top of your building list.