Wonder (Age of Empires II)

A Wonder in the Age of Empires series is a massive structure with no attack. It has a very high amount of hit points. In Age of Empires II if it is constructed and stands for two thousand years, the player who constructs it will automatically win the game. Wonders require, and  to build. Each and every civilization has its own unique Wonder which best fits their own historical styles. If a player's Wonder is destroyed, the player does not lose the game, although he/she does not receive any resources back. Wonders can only be built in the Imperial age.

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is the first in the series to introduce unique Wonders to each civilization. None of the Wonders from the original Age of Empires game are featured in Age of Empires II, Age of Empires II: The Conquerors or Age of Empires II: The Forgotten because none of the original civilizations are intact (except for the Temple of Heaven which now belongs to the Chinese, and the Pyramids of Giza).





Overview
''One distinguishing cultural characteristic of the great Middle Age civilizations was architecture. Buildings in Japan, Scandinavia, Britain, Constantinople, and Arabia looked quite different and employed different construction techniques. In many cases, particularly noteworthy buildings stand as icons for the building civilization, marking it for all time as a culture that achieved greatness, if only temporarily. Examples of such Middle Age cultural icons are Chartres, Charlemagne's Palace, and the Hagia Sophia at Constantinople.''

Aztecs: Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan
 * Appearances: In the last scenario of the Montezuma campaign, "Broken Spears", it is located inside Tenochtitlan, guarded by two castles.

Britons: Aachen Cathedral
 * Appearances: In the last level of the Attila the Hun campaign, "Fall of Rome", Padua will build a Wonder if they are not defeated fast enough.
 * The Cathedral, which looks very similar, can be found in several campaign scenarios.

Byzantines: Hagia Sophia
 * Appearances:
 * In the fifth scenario of the Barbarossa campaign, "Barbarossa's March", the player must station troops next to it to gain access to the Byzantines navy.
 * In the third scenario of the Attila the Hun campaign, "The Walls of Constantinople", Constantinople has a wonder which will prompt them to tribute gold if destroyed.

Celts: Rock of Cashel
 * Appearance: In the last scenario of the Attila the Hun campaign, "Fall of Rome", Aquileia will build a Wonder if they are not defeated fast enough.

Chinese: Temple of Heaven
 * Appearance: In the third scenario of the Genghis Khan campaign, "Into China", Jin will build a Wonder if they are not defeated fast enough.

Franks: Cathedral of Chartres
 * Appearances:
 * In the last scenario of the Attila the Hun campaign, "Fall of Rome", Verona will build a Wonder if they are not defeated fast enough.
 * In one of the scenarios of the Battles of The Conquerors campaign, "Agincourt", it appears as a monument.

Goths: Mausoleum of Theodoric I
 * Appearance: None

Huns: Arch of Constantine (devastated and filled with the Huns' gold obtained from looting)
 * Appearance: It is buildable in the fourth and fifth scenario of the Attila the Hun campaign, "Catalunian Fields" and "Fall fo Rome" respectively.

Japanese: Tōdai-ji Temple
 * Appearance: None

Koreans: Hwangnyong Temple
 * Appearance: In one of the scenarios of the Battles of The Conquerors campaign, "Noryang Point", there is an optional objective to prevent the Japanese from destroying the Wonder.

Mayans: Temple of the Great Jaguar
 * Appearance: None

Mongols: Genghis Khan Tent
 * Appearance: In the second scenario of the Genghis Khan campaign, "A Life of Revenge", the player must protect the Wonder near the starting point at all costs.

Persians: Taq-i Kisra Palace
 * Appearance: In the fourth scenario of the Genghis Khan campaign, "The Horde Rides West", it appears in the Kwarazm city, near where the Shah stands.

Saracens: Great Mosque of Samarra
 * Appearance: In the final scenario of the Saladin campaign, "The Lion and the Demon", the Saracens must construct their Wonder and defend it to win.

Spanish: Torre del Oro
 * Appearances:
 * In the fifth scenario of the El Cid campaign, "King of Valencia", the player must defend their ally while they are constructing a Wonder.
 * In the fourth scenario of the Montezuma campaign, "La Noche Triste", the Spanish build a Wonder within Tenochticlan and the player must destroy it to win.
 * In one of the scenarios of the Battles of The Conquerors campaign, "Lepanto", the player must build a Wonder and defend it.

Teutons: Maria Laach Abbey
 * Appearances:
 * In the fifth scenario of the Saladin campaign, "Jihad!", Ascalon will build a Wonder within their walls if they are not defeated fast enough.
 * In the final scenario of the Genghis Khan campaign, "Pax Mongolia", the Hungarians will build a Wonder after an hour.
 * In the fourth scenario of the Barbarossa campaign, "The Lombard League", the player must build a wonder within one the Lombard cities of Padua, Verona or Venice.
 * In the last scenario of the Attila the Hun campaign, "Fall of Rome", Milan will build a Wonder if they are not defeated fast enough.

Turks: Sultan Ahmed Mosque
 * Appearance: None
 * The Mosque, which looks very similar, can be found in several campaign scenarios.

Vikings: Borgund Stave Church
 * Appearance: None

Unique

 * Dome of the Rock
 * Appearance: In the third scenario of the Saladin campaign, "Siege of Jerusalem" and the final scenario of the Barbarossa campaign, "The Emperor Sleeping".
 * Pyramids of Giza
 * Appearance: In first scenario of the Saladin campaign, "An Arabian Knight".

In The Forgotten
The five new civilizations in Age of Empires II: The Forgotten has their own, unique wonders.

Incas: Temple of the Sun at Macchu Picchu

Indians: Gol Gumbaz

Italians: Cathedral of San Lorenzo

Magyars: Hunyad Castle

Slavs: Kizhi Church

Wonder stats

 * Wonders cost 1000 wood, 1000 gold and 1000 stone.
 * Hit points 4800
 * Armor : 3 / pierce armor 10
 * Cannot be converted by enemy monks.

Technologies
These technologies increases the Wonder stats:
 * Hit points and armor: Masonry and Architecture
 * Construction speed: Treadmill Crane
 * Line of sight: Town Watch and Town Patrol

Civilization Bonuses

 * Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to Wonders.
 * Byzantines: Wonder have +40% hit points. Town Watch upgrade is free.
 * Spanish: Wonders are built 30% faster.
 * Chinese :Technologies that benefits Wonders are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
 * Huns: Imperial age unique technology Atheism adds 100 years to Wonder victory.