Quick Links
Achieving a swift Culture victory in Civilization 6 can be challenging, as both Culture and Science are pivotal for every civilization. However, with the right strategies and a bit of luck, securing a rapid Culture victory is within reach. Certain civilizations are better equipped to generate Tourism more effectively or adapt to various scenarios, making them ideal for a quick 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
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.
Aqueducts offer +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per Citizen in the city. Farms receive +2 Food if adjacent to an Aqueduct, and +1 Faith next to a Holy Site.
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 considered a Religious civilization, thanks to their bonuses from Holy Sites near rivers and a special building that provides Relic Slots and boosts Faith generation, along with a Culture Bomb.
However, by focusing on generating Culture through Relics as Jayavarman VII and maximizing city growth, you can achieve one of the fastest Culture victories in Civ 6. The Prasat, with its Relic slot, generates 0.5 Culture per Population in the city, alongside other bonuses. Early on, prioritize the Great Bath to mitigate flood damage and the Hanging Gardens to enhance growth.
Later, rush St Basil's Cathedral to amplify religious tourism from Relics, and Mont St. Michael to ensure all Missionaries and Apostles create a Relic upon death, filling your additional slots.
Kristina - Sweden
Focus On Wonders & Great Work Slots For High Tourism
Buildings with 3x Great Work slots and Wonders with 2x Great Work slots automatically become Themed when filled. Unlocks Queen's Bibliotheque (Government Plaza building with multiple Great Work slots).
+50 Diplomatic Favor upon acquiring a Great Person. +1 Engineer or Scientist point for each Factory or University. Gain 3x unique World Congress competitions in the Industrial Era.
Carolean (Renaissance Anti-Cavalry unit), Open-Air Museum (+2 Loyalty, +2 Culture & Tourism per terrain type in your city. Only one per city).
Kristina was once one of the most overpowered civilizations in Civilization VI, but after adjustments, she remains exceptionally strong. Kristina's ability to automatically Theme Buildings and Wonders with Great Work Slots doubles Tourism and Culture output effortlessly.
The Queen's Bibliotheque, with its six Great Work slots, and the Open-Air Museum, which boosts Culture and Tourism based on terrain variety, are key assets. Prioritize building Wonders with at least 2x Great Work slots and Buildings with at least 3x Great Work Slots, and rush the Theater District. Quickly construct all buildings in this district to accumulate Great Person Points and gather Great Works of Art, Music, and Writing.
Then, as your Tourism rapidly surpasses others over the next few ages, you can relax and continue normal progression.
Peter - Russia
Absorb Culture & Build Wide For Massive Tourism
Trade Routes with other Civilizations provide +1 Science and +1 Culture for every 3 Technologies or Civics they are ahead of Russia.
Gain 5 extra tiles upon founding a city, Tundra tiles yield +1 Faith and +1 Production. Units are immune to Blizzard, but civilizations at war with Russia suffer double penalties within Russian territory.
Cossack (Industrial Era), Lavra (Replaces Holy District, expands by 2 tiles in the nearest city when a Great Person is spent there).
Peter is often considered the best leader in Civilization 6 due to his versatile Leader bonus and Russia's unique civilization abilities, which facilitate success across various victory paths. He excels particularly in Culture and Religious victories.
To secure the fastest Culture victory as Peter, rush Faith early to leverage the Dance of the Aurora pantheon, which enhances Tundra tile bonuses, then focus on settling cities. You gain more tiles when founding a city, and cities expand by 2 tiles whenever Great People are spent there. With a focus on producing Great Artists, Musicians, and Writers, your cities will grow rapidly.
Ensure you have enough Builders to capitalize on this expansion. Rush St Basil's Cathedral in the city with the highest Faith output and capacity for Relics to double Tourism from Relics, which are generated when Missionaries and Apostles with the Martyr perk die.
Acquire the Mont St. Michael Wonder to ensure all Religious units have this promotion, quickly amassing Relics. By rapidly gathering Great People, filling Theater and Holy Site Districts with Great Works, and establishing Trade Routes with other civilizations to keep up with Science production, a quick Culture victory is achievable as Peter.
Catherine de Medici - Magnificence
Hoard Luxury Resources & Wonders For Enormous Tourism
+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.
+20% Production towards Medieval, Renaissance, and Industrial Era Wonders. Wonders provide 2x normal Tourism in every era.
Garde Imperiale (Industrial Melee unit), Château (Tile improvement, grants Culture, Gold, Appeal, and extra Culture if next to a Wonder).
There are two versions of Catherine de Medici in Civilization 6, but the Magnificence version is significantly stronger for achieving fast Culture victories. Paired with the French civilization, which doubles the Tourism of Wonders and offers Production bonuses for building Wonders from the Medieval to Industrial eras, Catherine's abilities are highly synergistic.
Her Leader ability grants extra Culture for Luxury Resources adjacent to either a Theater district or a Château, a unique French building. When placed next to a Wonder, Châteaus generate additional yields, including Appeal to nearby tiles.
Catherine can also initiate a Court Festival in cities with a Theater Square, significantly boosting Culture and Tourism based on the number of excess Luxury Resources in that city.
The strategy involves establishing Culture foundations early, then shifting focus to Industry and Production to secure as many Wonders as possible. Harvest every Luxury Resource and trade for additional copies to maximize the Court Festival's bonuses.
While this approach requires juggling multiple elements and is more complex than some simpler civilizations, strategic city placement near Luxury Resources and effective acquisition of key Culture Wonders during the Medieval through Industrial eras can put you significantly ahead by the Modern era.
Continue to develop your Theater Squares, acquire Great Works, and run Court Festivals in cities with excess Luxury Resources to pave the way for one of the fastest Culture victories in Civ VI.
