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This article is about the building in Age of Empires III. For similar buildings, see Monastery or Temple.

Trains healers and provides colony improvements and unique improvements.
—In-game description before the Definitive Edition
Trains healers, provides town improvements and trickles XP.
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition

The Church is an economic building in Age of Empires III that is available once the Commerce Age is reached. It trains healers such as Priests or Missionaries, as well as Spies in The WarChiefs expansion, and provides technologies for the player's colony as well as unique technologies for each civilization that requires a certain Home City Card (see below) to be sent. It also generates 0.7 XP per second.

Instead of the Church, the Ottomans, United States, Mexicans, and Italians have the Mosque, Meeting House, Cathedral, and Basilica, respectively, which are identical in function with the Church (with the latter two buildings having unique abilities to their respective civilizations). The African civilizations have the Mountain Monastery and University serving as its equivalent, respectively, with different technologies and technologies that are unique to their respective civilizations. However, they can both gain access to Churches and Mosques by allying with either the Jesuits for the Ethiopians or the Moroccans for the Hausa.

As for the Native American and Asian civilizations, they lack an equivalent building to the Church; although the Monastery is the Asian spiritual equivalent of the Church, it merely functions as a Tavern instead (however, it also provides an XP trickle, and can provide upgrades to improve Monks). The Japanese can build one Church through the Church Wagon shipment from the Consulate with Dutch relations.

Units[]

Age Unit Cost Pop. Limit
Age II tech tree aoe3
Aoe3 missionary icon Missionary 50 wood
50 coin
0 10
Aoe3 priest icon Priest 100 coin 1 30
Surgeon icon Surgeon 225 coin 30
Aoe3 spy icon Spy* 110 coin

Technologies[]

Age Technology Cost Effect Civ.
Age II tech tree aoe3
Bastion Bastion 600 wood
600 coin
Upgrades Walls into Bastions with +400% hit points but build time +50% All
Unction Mission Fervor 125 food
125 wood
Healing units get +50% hit points, -50% train time, and +50% healing rate
Town Watch Town Watch 150 food All units get +3 Line of Sight
Gas Lighting Gas Lighting 75 food All buildings get +4 Line of Sight
Merchantilism Mercantilism 1,500 coin Gives 2,000 XP
Rogers Rangers Roger's Rangers 800 food Ships 5 Rangers; turns all Longbowmen into Rangers; requires The Glorious Revolution Home City Card British
Thin Red Line Thin Red Line Free Musketeers* get +20% hit points and -10% speed; requires The Glorious Revolution Home City Card
Coffee Trade Coffee Trade Bank build limit +2; Banks get -20% hit points; requires Religious Freedom Home City Card Dutch
Code Napoleon Code Napoleon Villagers gather resources 10% faster; buildings cost +25%; requires Edict of Nantes Home City Card French
Garde Imperial 1 Young Guard 500 food Ships 4 Young Guards; Grenadiers can be trained at Barracks, Artillery Foundries, Forts, and Galleons; Artillery Foundries can be built in the Commerce Age; requires Edict of Nantes Home City Card
Tillys Discipline Tilly's Discipline Free Infantry get +20% speed and +10% cost; requires Treaty of Westphalia Home City Card Germans
Encomienda Manor Encomienda Manor Villagers gather 20% faster from Mills but 5% slower from anything else; requires Treaty of Tordesillas Home City Card Portuguese
Corselet Corselet Heavy infantry get +25% hit points and -15% speed; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card Spanish
Knights of St. John
Excessive Taxation Tax Burden Ships Chests of 100 coin for every minute the game has lasted, up to 30 minutes; villagers get -40% hit points; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card Knights of St. John
Grand Encampment Grand Encampment Infantry get +25% hit points and -25% speed; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card United States (campaign)
Teutonic knights Teutonic Knights Hospitallers get +25% attack and -20% speed; requires Papal Bull Home City Card Maltese
Push of Pike Push of Pike Hand infantry get +10% speed and +10% train time; requires Treaty of Roskilde Home City Card Swedes
Gustavian Guards Gustavian Guards 1,500 food Ships 16 Gustavian Guards (Halberdiers); Halberdiers get +5% resistance and +0.25 speed; requires Treaty of Roskilde Home City Card
Crusader knights Crusader Knights 250 wood Sentinels and Hospitallers gain their benefits near enemy buildings (respectively Defensive Aura and Courage Aura) Maltese
Age III tech tree aoe3
Black Watch The Black Watch 1,000 food Ships 8 Black Watches (Highlanders); Highlanders can be trained at the Tavern, get +3 Line of Sight, +1 range, and the Regeneration ability; requires The Glorious Revolution Home City Card British
Waardgelders Red Lancers 1,000 coin Ships 5 Red Lancers (Stradiots); Stradiots can be trained at the Tavern, get +0.2 hand attack multiplier against infantry, -10% against heavy infantry, and are tagged as lancers; requires Religious Freedom Home City Card Dutch
Garde Imperial 2 Middle Guard 1,000 food Ships 8 Young Guards and renames them to Middle Guards; researches Incendiary Grenades; requires Young Guard and Edict of Nantes Home City Card French
Wallensteins Contracts Wallenstein's Contracts 1,500 coin Mercenary cost -15% and train time -10%; Mercenary shipments cost -50% (except infinite and TEAM cards); requires Treaty of Westphalia Home City Card Germans
Knights hospital Knights of the Hospital 1,500 wood Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Hospital built (up to 25); Hospitallers can build Hospitals; requires the Papal Bull Home City Card Maltese
Westernization Westernization 400 wood, 400 coin Upgrades Streltsy, Rekruts*, Poruchiks*, Cossacks, and Grenadiers to Veteran (if not already); requires Reformist Tsar Home City Card Russians
St. Petersburg Dragoons St. Petersburg Dragoons 1,000 wood Ships 9 Counter Dragoons (Guard Dragoons); replaces Cavalry Archers from Home City shipments with Counter Dragoons
Quatrefage Royal Alabarderos Ships 13 Guard Halberdiers; Halberdiers get the Regeneration ability and Combat Promotion; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card Spanish
High Crusade High Crusade Free Ships 8 Hoop Throwers; Hoop Throwers get +25% hit points and +20% attack; other military units get -5% hit points; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card Knights of St. John
Indian Friendship Indian Friendship 1,000 wood Native warriors get +25% hit points; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card John Black's Mercenaries
Counter Infantry Rifling Customized Merc Weapons Free Mercenaries get +30% attack; buildings cost +30%; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card
Levy Icon American Patriots Ships 16 Militiamen; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card United States (campaign)
Savolax Jaegers Savolax Jaegers 1,500 wood Ships 6 Savolax Jaegers (Jaegers, which cost 80 wood, 80 coin, have +5% hit points and Stealth mode); upgrades Jaegers to Savolax Jaegers and allows them to be trained at the Barracks; requires Treaty of Roskilde Home City Card Swedes
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Standing Army Standing Army 350 coin Infantry train time -25% All
Mass Cavalry Mass Cavalry 750 coin Cavalry train time -35%
Queens Rangers Queen's Rangers 2,000 coin Ships 30 Rangers; upgrades Rangers to Veteran; Rangers can be trained at Barracks, Forts, and Galleons, instead of Longbowmen; requires Roger's Rangers and The Glorious Revolution Home City Card British
Stadhouders Blue Guards 2,000 coin Ships 30 Blue Guards (Guard Musketeers); requires Religious Freedom Home City Card Dutch
Garde Imperial 3 Old Guard 2,000 food Ships 15 Young Guards and renames them to Old Guards (also changes their visual); Grenadiers and Old Guards get a Mortar attack and +2 Line of Sight; Old Guards get +100% hand attack and +10% hand, ranged and siege resistances; requires Middle Guard and Edict of Nantes Home City Card French
Zweihander Zweihänder 1,800 coin Ships 12 Doppelsoldners; Doppelsoldners get +10% hit points and +1 hand attack range; requires Treaty of Westphalia Home City Card Germans
Ordenança Ordenança 2,000 food Ordinance Rifleman and Pikeman train time -30%; upgrades Pikemen to Veteran and Royal Guard (if not already); turns all Crossbowmen into Ordinance Riflemen; Ordinance Riflemen can be trained at Barracks, Forts, and Galleons instead of Crossbowmen; requires Treaty of Tordesillas Home City Card Portuguese
Order of the Tower and Sword Order of the Tower and the Sword 2,000 wood Ships 11 Order Knights (Black Riders); Order Knights get +15% hit points, +30% hand attack, and can be trained at the Tavern; requires Treaty of Tordesillas Home City Card
Petrine Reforms Petrine Reforms 1,600 wood, 1,600 coin Upgrades Streltsy, Musketeers, Halberdiers, Cossacks, Oprichniks, Cavalry Archers, and Grenadiers to Guard/Royal Guard (if not already); requires Westernization and Reformist Tsar Home City Card Russians
Lifeguard Jaegers Lifeguard Jaegers 2,000 coin Ships 23 Counter Jaegers (Schiavone-like infantry); replaces Oprichniks from Home City shipments with Counter Jaegers; requires Reformist Tsar Home City Card
Wild Geese Wild Geese 2,000 food Ships 12 Wild Geese (Irish Brigadiers*), Irish Brigadiers can be trained at the Tavern, get -15% hand attack Rate of Fire, and +0.25 speed; requires Royal Decree to Claim the New World Home City Card Spanish

Civilization differences[]

  • The Japanese can build one (and only one) Church by allying with the Dutch at the Consulate, which provides the Church Wagon shipment that ships the namesake unit capable of building a Church.
  • The Ethiopians can build one Church by allying with the Jesuits to advance into the Commerce Age or higher, which ships a Church Wagon. The Ethiopian Church can train Missionaries and Spies, has Mission Fervor, Town Watch, Gas Lighting, Mercantilism, Standing Army, Mass Cavalry, and City Walls available for cost in influence (see their pages' civilization differences for the exact values).

Further statistics[]

Building strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Nothing
Weak vs. Everything
technologies
Hit points Flying Buttress Flying Buttress (+20%)
Byzantine legacy Byzantine Legacy (+15%)
Line of Sight Gas Lighting Gas Lighting (+4)
Build time Cree Textile Craftsmanship Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-25%)
Cost Tupi Forest Burning Tupi Forest Burning (-20% wood)
Cree Textile Craftsmanship Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-10%)
Other Church Icon Church Wagon (ships 1 Church Wagon; Japanese only)
Penalties Counter Infantry Rifling Customized Merc Weapons (+30% cost; John Black's Mercenaries only)
Code Napoleon Code Napoleon (+25% cost; French only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Church
Some cards are highlighted with:
Green TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team

All[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Improved Buildings) Improved Buildings Buildings get +40% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Team improved buildings TEAM Improved Buildings Buildings get +25% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
  • "Improved Buildings" is available to Europeans (except the Maltese) and Japanese.
  • "TEAM Improved Buildings" is available to the Inca, Indians, and Maltese.

British[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) The Glorious Revolution Provides the Church with the Thin Red Line, The Black Watch, Roger's Rangers, and Queen's Rangers technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Dutch[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Religious Freedom Provides the Church with the Coffee Trade, Red Lancers, and Blue Guards technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Ethiopians[]

Card Description Age
Gondarine architecture Gondarine Architecture Buildings get +25% hit points; Town Centers and Palaces get +50% hit points; Walls and Mountain Monasteries get +100% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Europeans[]

Card Description Age
French Home City 1 (Master Surgeons) Master Surgeons Surgeons can be trained at the Church, Mosque, Field Hospitals, and Cathedral, and heal 50% faster
Age I tech tree aoe3
Brazil Home City (Bahia) Bahia Ships 16 Conquistadors and 2 Church Wagons; Church build limit +2; upgrades Conquistadors to Veteran (if not already); costs 1,000 coin
Revolution
Inca Home City 3 (Monumental Architecture) Monumental Architecture Buildings get +30% hit points; Town Centers get +35% attack
Revolution
  • "Master Surgeons" is not available to the British, Italians, Maltese, and Spanish.
  • "Bahia" is available to the Dutch, Italians, and Portuguese upon revolting to Brazil.
  • "Monumental Architecture" is available to the Portuguese and Spanish upon revolting to Peru.

French[]

Card Description Age
French Home City 3 (Cheap Church) TEAM Louvre Gives a trickle of 0.1 XP/sec.; Town Watch, Gas Lighting, Standing Army, Mass Cavalry, Medical Science, and Mission Fervor cost -50%; Kebra Nagast, Book of Axum, and Solomonic Dynasty cost -10%
Age I tech tree aoe3
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Edict of Nantes Provides the Church with the Code Napoleon, Young Guard, Middle Guard, and Old Guard technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Germans[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Treaty of Westphalia Provides the Church with the Tilly's Discipline, Wallenstein's Contracts, and Zweihänder technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
German Home City 5 (Witch Hammer) Witch Hammer Ships 3 Inquisitors; Inquisitors can be trained at Tavern/Mercenary Camps, Town Centers, Church and Outposts; outlaws take -2 population; +2 Uhlans
Age II tech tree aoe3

Japanese[]

Card Description Age
Land reforms Land Reforms Villagers and rickshaws build buildings 50% faster; buildings grant +100% build bounty
Age II tech tree aoe3

Maltese[]

Card Description Age
Maltese Home City 3 (Carmelite Churches) Carmelite Churches Ships 2 Church Wagons; Church build limit +2 and can be build in the Exploration Age
Age I tech tree aoe3
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Papal Bull Provides the Church with the Teutonic Knights, Crusader Knights, and Knights of the Hospital technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Portuguese[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Treaty of Tordesillas Provides the Church with the Encomienda Manor, Ordenança, and Order of the Tower and the Sword technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Russians[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Reformist Tsar Provides the Church with the Westernization, St. Petersburg Dragoons, Petrine Reforms, and Lifeguard Jaegers technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Spanish[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Royal Decree to Claim the New World Provides the Church with the Corselet, Royal Alabarderos, Wild Geese, and Walloon Guards technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Swedes[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Treaty of Roskilde Provides the Church with the Push of Pike, Gustavian Guards, and Savolax Jaegers technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

All[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Improved Buildings) Improved Buildings Buildings get +40% hit points
Age I tech tree aoe3
10
  • "Improved Buildings" is available to Europeans and Japanese.

British[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) The Glorious Revolution Provides the Church with the Thin Red Line, The Black Watch, and Roger's Rangers technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Dutch[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Religious Freedom Provides the Church with the Coffee Trade, Waardgelders, and Stadholders technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Europeans[]

Card Description Age HC level
French Home City 1 (Master Surgeons) Master Surgeons Surgeons can be trained at the Church and Mosque, and heal 50% faster
Age I tech tree aoe3
10
  • "Master Surgeons" is not available to the British and Spanish.

French[]

Card Description Age HC level
French Home City 3 (Cheap Church) TEAM Cheap Church Fire Pit cost free, Church and Mosque cost -80%, Field Hospitals cost -50%, Monastery cost -30%; Town Watch, Gas Lighting, Standing Army, and Mass Cavalry cost -50%
Age I tech tree aoe3
10
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Edict of Nantes Provides the Church with the Code Napoleon, Young Guard, Middle Guard, and Old Guard technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Germans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Treaty of Westphalia Provides the Church with the Tilly's Discipline, Wallenstein's Contracts, and Zweihänder technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Indians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Team improved buildings TEAM Improved Buildings Buildings get +25% hit points
Age I tech tree aoe3
10

Japanese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Land reforms Land Reforms Villagers and Rickshaws build buildings 50% faster; buildings' build bounty +100%
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Portuguese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Treaty of Tordesillas Provides the Church with the Encomienda Manor, Besteiros, and Order of the Tower and the Sword technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Russians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Reformist Tsar Provides the Church with the Westernization, Kalmucks, Petrine Reforms, and Bashkirs technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Spanish[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Royal Decree to Claim the New World Provides the Church with the Corselet, Quatrefage and Wild Geese technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Knights of St. John[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Royal Decree to Claim the New World Ships 2 Surgeons; provides the Church with the Corselet, Tax Burden, and High Crusade technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

John Black's Mercenaries[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Royal Decree to Claim the New World Ships 2 Surgeons; provides the Church with the Indian Friendship and Customized Merc Weapons technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

United States (campaign)[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Royal Decree) Royal Decree to Claim the New World Ships 2 Surgeons; provides the Church with the American Patriots and Grand Encampment technologies
Age II tech tree aoe3

Changelog[]

3Icon48px Age of Empires III[]

  • Churches cost 100 wood and take 10 seconds to build.

3ADIcon48px The Asian Dynasties[]

Age3DE Icon Definitive Edition[]

  • Churches cost 150 wood and take 25 seconds to build. They now provide a 0.6 XP/second trickle.
  • The Church built by the Japanese by allying with the Dutch at the Consulate now has the Dutch appearances through the Ages and can train Spies.
  • With update 20322, Churches take 20 seconds to build.

Age3DE Icon The African Royals[]

History[]

Churches are places of worship for Christian colonists. Settlers in the New World built churches to provide a place for worship as well as for community events. Religion drove exploration and colonization as people like the Pilgrims left their homes, fleeing persecution, to find religious freedoms in the New World.

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

See also[]

Buildings in Age of Empires III
Common
Dock aoe3de Dock · House indian aoe3de House · Livestock pen aoe3de Livestock Pen · Market icon aoe3de Market · Native embassy DE icon Native Embassy · Stables aoe3de Stable · Towncenter aoe3de Town Center · Trading post african aoe3de Trading Post · Wall aoe3de Wall
EuropeansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Artillery depot aoe3de Artillery Foundry · Barracks aoe3de Barracks · Capitol aoe3de Capitol · Church aoe3de Church · Plantation aoe3de Estate (formerly Plantation) · Fort aoe3de Fort · Mill aoe3de Mill · Outpost aoe3de Outpost · Tavern icon de Tavern
Native AmericansCommunity plaza aoe3de Community Plaza (formerly Fire Pit) · Corral aoe3de Corral · Plantation aoe3de Estate (formerly Plantation) · Farm aoe3de Farm · Tribal marketplace icon Tribal Marketplace · War hut aoe3de War Hut
AsiansJapan barracks aoe3de Barracks · Japan castle aoe3de Castle · Consulate icon aoe3de Consulate · Monastery aoe3de Monastery · China rice paddy icon aoe3de Rice Paddy · Advanced wonders Wonder
Federal AmericansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Artillery depot aoe3de Artillery Foundry · Barracks aoe3de Barracks · Capitol aoe3de Capitol · Plantation aoe3de Estate · Fort aoe3de Fort · Mill aoe3de Mill · Outpost aoe3de Outpost · Saloon aoe3de Saloon
AfricansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Field portrait aoe3de Field · Granary portrait aoe3de Granary · Hut portrait aoe3de Hut · Livestock market aoe3de Livestock Market · Palace portrait aoe3de Palace · Port portrait aoe3de Port · War camp aoe3de portrait War Camp · Watch tower aoe3de portrait Watch Tower
Unique
Flag BritishDE BritishHouse aoe3de Manor House
Flag DutchDE DutchBank aoe3de Bank
Flag GermanDE GermansMercenary camp portrait Mercenary Camp
Flag OttomanDE OttomansChurch aoe3de Mosque
Flag RussianDE RussiansBlockhouse aoe3de Blockhouse
Flag AztecDE AztecsNobles aoe3de Nobles' Hut
Flag IroquoisDE HaudenosauneeIro house icon Longhouse · Artillery depot aoe3de Siege Workshop
Flag SiouxDE LakotaTeepee icon DE Teepee
Flag ChineseDE ChineseChinese village aoe3de Village · China waracademy aoe3de War Academy
Flag IndianDE IndiansCaravanseraiDE Caravanserai · MangoGroveDE Mango Grove · SacredFieldDE Sacred Field
Flag JapaneseDE JapaneseCherry orchard portrait aoe3de Cherry Orchard · Dojo aoe3de Dojo · Shrine aoe3de Shrine
Flag IncanDE IncaInca kallanka Kallanka · Inca kancha house Kancha House · Inca stronghold Stronghold · Inca tambo Tambo
Flag SwedishDE SwedesSwedish torp Torp
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesMeeting house aoe3de icon Meeting House · State capitol aoe3de icon State Capitol
Flag Ethiopian aoe3de EthiopiansMountain monastery portrait aoe3de Mountain Monastery
Flag Hausa HausaUniversity portrait University
Flag MexicanDE MexicansCathedral portrait Cathedral · Hacienda portrait Hacienda
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansBasilica portrait Basilica · Lombard portrait Lombard
Flag MalteseDE MalteseCommandery portrait Commandery · Depot portrait Depot · Fixed gun portrait aoe3de Fixed Gun · Hospital portrait Hospital
Situational
Aztec temple portrait American Citadel (formerly Maya Castle) · Athos monastery portrait Athos Monastery · Battery tower portrait Battery Tower · Factory aoe3de Factory · Field hospital aoe3de Field Hospital · Regent's Castle aoe3de Regent's Castle
Scenario Editor/campaign only
Cherokee Warhut Portrait Cherokee War Hut · Wall aoe3de Command Post · Fixed gun portrait aoe3de Fixed Gun · Fort Tower icon AoE3DE Fort Tower · Gunpowder Stores icon AoE3DE Gunpowder Stores · Ossuary AoE3DE Ossuary · Fountain Youth Portrait The Fountain of Youth · Tower aoe3de Tower
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