Top Civs for Quickest Culture Victory in Civilization VI

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• Jayavarman VII - Khmer

• Kristina - Sweden

• Peter - Russia

• Catherine de Medici - Magnificence

Winning a fast Culture victory in Civilization 6 is more challenging than it might seem. Both Culture and Science are emphasized by most civilizations, making it tough to outpace them. However, with the right strategies and a bit of luck, achieving a quick Culture victory is within reach.

While some civilizations might produce Tourism more efficiently or adapt to various scenarios better, the following civilizations are recommended for a swift Culture victory. Under optimal conditions, these civilizations can influence others to adopt their culture faster than any other.

Jayavarman VII - Khmer

Khmer Relic Rush Is A Strong, But Specific, Strategy

Jayavarman VII Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King

Holy Sites provide Food equal to their Adjacency Bonus, gain +2 Adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing if built next to a River, and trigger a Culture Bomb.

Khmer Civ Ability: Grand Barays

Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per Citizen in the city. Farms next to an Aqueduct gain +2 Food, and those next to a Holy Site gain +1 Faith.

Unique Units

• Domrey (Medieval Siege unit)
• Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, additional Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs, +0.5 Culture per Citizen)

The Khmer are typically seen as a Religious-focused civilization due to their bonuses from Holy Sites near rivers and a unique building that offers Relic Slots and enhanced Faith generation, along with a Culture Bomb.

To achieve one of the fastest Culture victories in Civ 6 with Jayavarman VII, focus on generating Culture through Relics and maximizing city growth. The Prasat, with its Relic slot, generates 0.5 Culture per Population, alongside other bonuses. Early on, construct the Great Bath to mitigate flood damage and the Hanging Gardens to boost city growth.

Later, prioritize St Basil's Cathedral to increase religious tourism from Relics, and rush Mont St. Michael to ensure your Missionaries and Apostles leave Relics upon death, filling your extra slots.

Kristina - Sweden

Focus On Wonders & Great Work Slots For High Tourism

Kristina Leader Ability: Minerva of the North

Buildings with 3 Great Work slots and Wonders with 2 Great Work slots automatically become Themed when filled. Unlocks Queen's Bibliotheque (Government Plaza building with various Great Work slots).

Sweden Civ Ability: Nobel Prize

+50 Diplomatic Favor for each Great Person. +1 Engineer or Scientist point per Factory or University. Gain 3 unique World Congress competitions in the Industrial Era.

Unique Units

• Carolean (Renaissance Anti-Cavalry unit)
• Open-Air Museum (+2 Loyalty, +2 Culture & Tourism for each type of Terrain in your city, limited to one per city)

Kristina was once considered one of the most overpowered civilizations in Civilization VI, but after adjustments, she remains exceptionally strong. Her ability to automatically Theme Buildings and Wonders with Great Work Slots doubles Tourism and Culture output effortlessly.

The Queen's Bibliotheque offers six Great Work slots, and the Open-Air Museum can significantly boost Culture and Tourism if your cities have diverse terrain.

Concentrate on building Wonders with at least 2 Great Work slots and Buildings with at least 3 Great Work slots. Rush the Theater District and its buildings to accumulate Great Person Points and gather Great Works of Art, Music, and Writing quickly. As your Tourism grows, you'll soon outpace other cultures.

Peter - Russia

Absorb Culture & Build Wide For Massive Tourism

Peter Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy

Trade Routes with other Civilizations provide +1 Science and +1 Culture for every 3 Technologies or Civics they lead Russia in.

Russia Civ Ability: Mother Russia

Gain 5 extra tiles when founding a city. Tundra tiles provide +1 Faith and +1 Production. Units are immune to Blizzards, and enemies suffer double penalties in Russian territory.

Unique Units

• Cossack (Industrial Era)
• Lavra (Replaces Holy District, expands by 2 tiles in the nearest city when a Great Person is spent)

Peter is widely regarded as one of the best leaders in Civilization 6, thanks to his versatile Leader and civilization abilities, which can accelerate any victory path. He excels at Culture and Religious victories.

To secure a rapid Culture victory with Peter, prioritize Faith early to secure the Dance of the Aurora pantheon, which boosts Tundra tiles. Focus on settling new cities, as each city provides extra tiles, and spending Great People expands your territory further. Rapidly produce Great Artists, Musicians, and Writers to grow your cities quickly.

Ensure you have enough Builders to capitalize on your expansion. Rush St Basil's Cathedral in your highest Faith-producing city to double Tourism from Relics, which are generated when Missionaries and Apostles with the Martyr perk die. Construct Mont St. Michael to guarantee all Religious units have this perk, allowing you to gather Relics quickly. Maintain Trade Routes with other civilizations to keep up with Science, and fill your Theater and Holy Site Districts with Great Works for a swift Culture victory.

Catherine de Medici - Magnificence

Hoard Luxury Resources & Wonders For Enormous Tourism

Catherine de Medici Leader Ability: Catherine's Magnificences

+2 Culture for improved Luxury Resources next to Theater Square or Château. Unlocks the Court Festival project, which boosts Culture and Tourism based on excess Luxury Resources.

French Civ Ability: Grand Tour

+20% Production towards Medieval, Renaissance, and Industrial Era Wonders. Wonders provide 2x normal Tourism in every era.

Unique Units

• Garde Imperiale (Industrial Melee unit)
• Château (Tile improvement, provides Culture, Gold, Appeal, and extra Culture if next to a Wonder)

Catherine de Medici's Magnificence version is notably stronger for fast Culture victories in Civilization 6. When paired with the French civilization, her ability to double the Tourism of Wonders and gain Production bonuses for Wonders from the Medieval to Industrial eras complements her Leader ability, which boosts Culture from Luxury Resources near Theater Squares or Châteaus.

Châteaus, when placed next to Wonders, enhance yields across the board, including Appeal to nearby tiles. Additionally, the Court Festival project in cities with a Theater Square significantly boosts Culture and Tourism based on the number of Luxury Resources.

The strategy involves establishing strong Culture foundations early, then shifting focus to Industry and Production to build as many Wonders as possible. Harvest and trade for Luxury Resources to maximize Court Festival bonuses.

While managing this strategy can be complex compared to simpler civilizations, favorable initial city placement near Luxury Resources and securing key Culture Wonders from the Medieval through Industrial eras can give you a significant lead by the Modern era. Continue expanding your Theater Squares, collecting Great Works, and running Court Festivals in cities with Luxury Resources to secure one of the fastest Culture victories in Civ 6.