Monasteries

The Monasteries in Germany and Japanese Buildings mini expansions contains 6 tiles to replace the monasteries in the base game and provide a new way to score them.

You are reading the rules for this tile design.

Read the following rules if your tiles look like this.  Monasteries in Germany

If your tiles have a different design, then choose a game from Spin-offs.

Main Page > Carcassonne > Monasteries

↑

The Monasteries in Germany and Japanese Buildings mini expansions contains 6 tiles to replace the monasteries in the base game and provide a new way to score them.

With this mini expansion, containing six well-known German monasteries, you'll have the possibility to score your monasteries in a renewed way. However, you'll only know at the end of the game whether you've made a profitable decision.

General info and comments

Japanese Buildings C2 punchboard

Monasteries in Germany C2 punchboard

Monasteries in Germany C3 punchboard

Expansion symbol Monasteries in Germany

Monasteries in Germany was released for the 2nd edition (C2 for short) by Hans im Glück in 2018 during Essen Spiel. A version in the 3rd edition (C3 for short) was released in 2023.

This expansion was originally released for the 1st edtition (C1 for short) in 2012.

Before the C2 release, Japanese Buildings, with the same rules, was released by Hans im Glück in 2016. It has graphics by Toshihiko Ishibashi that do not match the artwork style of the 1st edition, although the manual was based on that edition. Nevertheless it is considered a new edition mini expansion. These tiles have no expansion symbol.

Contents

• Monasteries in Germany: 6 new land tiles
• Japanese Buildings: 6 new land tiles

Rules

This expansion introduced a new type of meeple placement in C1: placing a meeple as an abbot. This naming remained unchanged in C2, but it was the source of some confusion due to the abbot meeple from  The Abbot expansion introduced in this edition. In C3, this placement was renamed to placing a meeple as a claustral prior in order to resolve the ambiguity.

When the rules below refer to the special new monastery tiles, assume they are referring to both German Monasteries and Japanese Buildings, as they share the same behavior. The text below only mentions the new Monasteries for the sake of readability.

Preparation

Remove the “original” monastery tiles from the base game and return them to the box. Mix the six new monastery tiles in with the rest of the game tiles.

Gameplay

1. Placing a tile

If a player draws one of the special monastery tiles, it is placed according to the normal rules.

2. Placing a meeple

After placing the special monastery tile, the player may place a meeple on any feature present on the tile according to the normal rules. If deploying a meeple on the monastery, the player has two options:

1. As a Monk: In this option, the monastery is treated like a monastery in the base game, and all the normal scoring rules remain the same; or
2. As an Abbot or Claustral Prior: In this option, the meeple is considered an abbot/claustral prior of the monastery. To emphasize this, the player stands the meeple on its side to signify that the special monastery will be scored differently than a original monastery. The monastery scores only at the end of the game.

You place the tile with the Lorch Monastery. As you decide to place as an abbot/claustral prior, you place it sideways on the monastery.

3a. Scoring a monk

A meeple placed on a special monastery as a monk follows the regular scoring rules of Carcassonne.

3b. Final scoring of an abbot/claustral prior

A meeple placed as an abbot/claustral prior on a special monastery is not scored until the end of the game. For their abbot/claustral prior, the player receives 1 point per tile present in the vertical column and horizontal row outward from the monastery. The monastery tile itself also scores 1 point. Any empty spaces in the monastery’s row or column interrupt the series of tiles that score for the monastery.

Example: BLUE and RED have each placed a meeple as an abbot/claustral prior during the game, and these are now scored at game end. The BLUE abbot/claustral prior scores 2 + 0 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 6 points. (Since there is a gap in the row to the right of BLUE'S monastery, no points are earned in that direction.) The RED abbot/claustral prior scores 4 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 10 points.

Note: For the sake of clarity, the figures in the additions correspond to the number of tiles in the column above, the row to the right, the column below, the row to the left and the monastery itself respectively.

Interactions with other expansions

This section contains additional information about the interactions with other Carcassonne expansions.

General comments:

You can occupy a special monastery with the following figures placing them as a monk (standing) or as an abbot/claustral prior (on its side):

• Normal meeple ( Base Game)
• Abbot (Base Game -  The Abbot)
• Large meeple ( Exp. 1 - Inns & Cathedrals)
• Wagon ( Exp. 5 - Abbey & Mayor)
• Ringmaster ( Exp. 10 - Under the Big Top)
• Guard meeple ( Exp. 11 - Ghosts, Castles & Cemeteries)
• Phantom ( The Phantom)

These two options (placing a meeple as a monk or as an abbot/claustral prior) are available whenever a meeple would be placed on the special monastery: initial meeple placement, wagon movement, magic portal, flier, etc. (5/2014)

Note that the special monastery is only a single feature, even though it can be used two different ways. Thus, if it is occupied by a meeple, one cannot place a phantom there, drive the wagon there, or deploy a meeple to it with a magic portal. (7/2014)

The normal rules assume that only one of the two meeple placement options may happen at a time. However, in combination with other expansions (see  Exp. 6 - Count, King & Robber,  Mini #1 - The Flying Machines,  The Gifts and the  20th Anniversary Expansion), several meeples may be present on a monastery during scoring. This leads to the following scenarios:

1. Special monastery occupied by at least one meeple placed as a monk and any number of meeples placed as abbots/claustral priors:
   • The feature will be scored like a normal monastery considering any meeples placed as monks either when completed (completely surrounded by tiles) or at the end of the game (if still incomplete).
   • The player(s) with the majority of meeples placed as monks will receive the number of points the monastery is worth at this point, and those meeples will be returned to their owners.
   • Any meeples placed as abbots/claustral priors on the feature will be scored as indicated in the next scenario.
2. Special monastery only occupied by meeples placed as abbots/claustral priors:
   • The feature will be scored at the end of the game, since it will not be considered as completed for the meeples placed as abbots/claustral priors even if surrounded by tiles.
   • The player(s) with the majority of meeples placed as abbots/claustral priors will receive the number of points the feature is worth.

Exp. 6 - Count, King & Robber

A meeple placed as an abbot/claustral prior cannot be involved in a challenge with a heretic on a shrine/cult place, as the two scoring mechanisms are entirely different (the abbot/claustral prior's monastery is never completed, so the heretic would always win). (5/2014)

Players may deploy meeples from the cathedral district to a completed special monastery about to be scored. The meeples can only be deployed as monks. Deploying meeples as abbots/claustral priors is not allowed since they would not participate in the current scoring.

  Question: A previous clarification stated that you can't deploy a meeple from the cathedral district in the City of Carcassonne to a special monastery with a meeple placed as an abbot/claustral prior, since it won't be completed in the usual time frame.
However, if the special monastery has a meeple placed as a monk (i.e. acting as a normal monastery) and it is completed, can you deploy a meeple to it from the cathedral district and place it as an abbot/claustral prior instead?

Answer: You can't deploy a meeple from the cathedral district to a special monastery as an abbot/claustral prior if it is completed as a regular monastery with a meeple placed as a monk (i.e. completely surrounded by tiles).
You can only deploy a meeple from the cathedral district to a special monastery as a monk, because only this feature (the special monastery acting as a normal monastery) is completed for scoring. (10/2014)

Exp. 8 - Bridges, Castles & Bazaars

Because a meeple placed as an abbot/claustral prior scores only at the end of the game, and this special monastery is never considered completed in this case, a monastery with a meeple placed as an abbot/claustral prior will not score points for a meeple in a castle. (5/2014)

Exp. 9 - Hills & Sheep

When using special monasteries, the vineyard bonus is applied to the special monastery if the meeple is placed as a monk and the feature is scored as a finished original monastery. However, the vineyard bonus is not applied if a meeple is placed as an abbot/claustral prior on a special monastery, as the abbot/claustral prior scores only at the end of the game, when the vineyard has no effect. (5/2014)

Mini #1 - The Flying Machines

If a second meeple is placed on the special monastery through use of the The Flying Machines, the player can choose to place the new meeple either as a monk or as an abbot/claustral prior, regardless of the identity of the first meeple there. However, if the special monastery is already surrounded by 8 tiles, thus representing a completed monastery, the second meeple must be placed as an abbot/claustral prior. (7/2014)

Tile distribution

Monasteries in Germany (C3)

Total tiles: 6

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

Monasteries in Germany (C2)

Total tiles: 6

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

Japanese Buildings (C2)

Total tiles: 6

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

 ×1

The Monasteries in detail

Monasteries in Germany

	Andechs Monastery (Bayern) On the eastern shore of Lake Ammersee, Andechs Monastery, the oldest pilgrimage site in Bavaria, is located. It was founded in 1455 as a branch office of the Benedictine monks. The monastery is also known far beyond the borders of Bavaria for its beer. www.andechs.de
	Eberbach Monastery (Hessen) The Eberbach Monastery is a former Cistercian abbey near Eltville. The monastery was founded in the 12th century, and with its Romanesque and early Gothic features, is one of the most important monuments in Europe. It gained worldwide fame as a filming location for the film adaptation of the novel "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco. www.kloster-eberbach.de
	Lorch Monastery (Baden-Württemberg) Lorch, a former Benedictine monastery, is situated on a mountain ridge above the Rems valley, and is visible from far away. It was donated in 1102 by Duke Frederick I of Swabia and his family. The heyday of the Benedictine monastery was during the late Middle Ages. Even today, the charming monastery, complete with church, retreat, farm buildings and a garden, surrounded by a circular wall, is still completely intact, and attracts many visitors. www.kloster-lorch.com
	Maria Laach Monastery (Eifel/Rheinland-Pfalz) Founded in 1093 the Maria Laach is a high medieval monastery, located on the southwest side of Laacher Lake. A landmark of this Benedictine monastery is the 6-towered monastery church, the Laacher Munster. www.maria-laach.de
	Marienthal Monastery (Sachsen) The monastery of St. Marienthal is the oldest convent of the Cistercian Order in Germany. It has continuously been in operation from its founding in 1234 until today. It is situated near Görlitz, on the border triangle of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. www.kloster-marienthal.de
	Maulbronn Monastery (Baden-Württemberg) The Maulbronn Monastery, a former Cistercian abbey which is now recognized as a World Heritage Site, is considered to be the most well-preserved medieval monastery north of the Alps. Founded in the 12th century, all styles and levels of development of the Romanesque period through the late Gothic period are represented here. www.kloster-maulbronn.de

Japanese buildings

	KINKAKUJI This Budhist temple in Kyoto is covered in gold and is one of the most popular buildings in Japan, attracting a large number of visitors anually. It was registered as a Wold Heritage Site in 1994. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkaku-ji
	KAMINARIMON It is the gate of Sensoji in Tokyo. It was first built in 941 by a military commander but then reconstructed at its current location in 1635. It is said that this was the time when they built the 2 statues flanking the gate, though it has been burnt down a couple of times and the current structure dates from 1960. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaminarimon
	GOJYU-NO-TOU (five-story pagoda) It is in HOURYUJI. Hourjuyi is an area with the oldest wooden buildings in the world. Many pictures and carvings show the history of Japan for more than 1.300 years. In 1993, it was Japan first registered World Heritage Site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hōryū-ji
	HIMEJIJO It is also called Shirasagijo (Egret castle). This castle comprising 83 buildings with highly developed systems of defence and ingenious protection devices dates from the beginning of the Shogun period. It is a masterpiece of contruction in wood, combining function with aesthetic appeal, and also registered a World Heritage Site in 1993. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himeji_Castle
	GORYOUKAKU It is a fort in Hokkaido and was built to protect the city of Hakodate. It is a famous place for the fight between the old government (Shogun side) and the new goverment (Imperial side) in the last stage of the Edo period. After the fort had lost its military importance, it was eventually turned into a public park in the 1910s. Over one thousand cherry trees were planted along its moats, making it one of Hokkaido's best cherry blossom spots. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goryōkaku
	KAMAKURA DAIBITSU It is a Buddhist temple mainly containing one giant bronze statue of Buddha with a height of 13.35m and a weight of 121t. Monks may enter it to pray inside the statue. Its first building was made out of wood and dates from 1252. A few years later, as the wooden structure was damaged badly by a storm, it was decided to build it from Bronze. Since the big tsunami in September 20, 1488 washed all buildings away, the statue stays in the open air. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kōtoku-in

Footnotes

For Icons explanation and licensing please visit Icons page.