Basilica

About this board game

Basilica is a two-player area control tile-laying game set in medieval Florence, with sessions lasting about 45 minutes. Players become competing architects overseeing the construction of a magnificent cathedral.

On each turn, players place cathedral tiles to enlarge the building and form areas made up of a single color. They also place builder pawns to gain advantages and contest control. The goal is to create the largest possible colored areas while having more pawns in those areas than the opponent.

Four tile colors shape the developing cathedral and create opportunities for direct competition. Because both players are building within the same structure, every placement can affect the value of an area and the balance of power across the board.

• Tile laying: Enlarge the cathedral and develop single-color areas.
• Area control: Use builder pawns to compete for dominance.
• Orders: Move or remove builders, improve abilities, block spaces, or tear down previously built cathedral parts.

Orders add another layer of interaction, allowing players to alter the cathedral and disrupt an opponent’s plans. These actions can change builder positions, restrict available spaces, or remove parts of the structure that have already been built.

Designed by Łukasz M. Pogoda, Basilica was first published in 2010 and later developed with the Basilica: Festum Fatuorum expansion in 2012. The 2022 edition from Portal Games combines the base game with a revamped game board, premium custom-made wooden pawns depicting medieval characters, and the expansion.

With easy-to-learn rules and heavy player interaction, Basilica presents a focused contest for two architects competing to control the cathedral’s most valuable areas.