How to Make a Temple in Dwarf Fortress

In any world of Dwarf Fortress, there will be deities that will be generated for the world. There may be many, or there may be few, with some being more popular than others. Either way, your fortress population will have worshipers that will need a temple, or else they may petition for one. Here is how to build a temple in Dwarf Fortress.

How to set up a temple in Dwarf Fortress

Setting up a temple is very important, and thankfully easy.

Not having a temple will mean that your dwarves don’t have any location of worship. After a while, this can lead to bad thoughts and the decrease of your dwarves’ moods. Early game, it is important to set up a quick and temporary temple, and then create a dedicated temple later.

Temples are merely zones dedicated for praying. They are not exactly a zone of themselves, but rather a zone extension. For your temporary zone, select your meeting zone (or create one) and click on the button with a plus sign and a wooden sign. Then click ‘new temple’. For the temporary temple, select the ‘no specific deity’ setting.

Now, this meeting area is also an area for any dwarf of any religion or belief to worship. Merely having an area allocated to worship will appease your dwarves for the time being.

Related: How to build a dungeon in Dwarf Fortress

Now, if you want a real temple, or if your dwarves petition for one, then dig out or construct a room with a surface area of at least 25 tiles (the temple needs a ‘dance floor’ of this minimum size). Place it in a meeting area and then turn it into a temple of a select deity. If there is no demand, then choose the deity that is worshipped the most in your fortress.

A temple needs instruments for religious dances and songs. Place a chest in the temple and make some instruments using your workshops. They will be automatically picked up and placed into the temple’s chest.

Open up the temple menu. From there, you can allocate performers and can choose the visitor status. You may get visitors from outside the fortress who wish to visit the temple.

There are different levels that the temple will hold, being related to the ‘value’ of the temple. Value is increased through building valuable ornaments and adorning the temple with valuable goods. When the value is above 2000, it will upgrade from a shrine to a temple, which is where the priesthood can be assigned. If the value is over 10,000, then it will upgrade to a temple complex, which is when high priests can be assigned.

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