How does a monastery score in Carcassonne?
A monastery is completed when all 8 tiles around it are filled, and then it scores 9 points: 1 for each surrounding tile plus 1 for the monastery itself. Unfinished at the end, it scores 1 point plus 1 per surrounding tile.
The rule:
In Carcassonne, a monastery scores 9 points once all 8 tiles around it are filled, 1 per surrounding tile plus 1 for itself; if it is still unfinished at game end, it scores 1 point plus 1 per surrounding tile.
A monastery sits in the middle of its tile, and you place a meeple on it as a monk.
- Completed: all 8 surrounding spaces, diagonals included, hold tiles. It scores 9 points, and the monk returns to your supply.
- At game end: an unfinished monastery scores 1 point for itself plus 1 for each surrounding tile.
Since only one meeple can be on a monastery, there’s no sharing.
Example:
Your monk's monastery has 6 neighbors when the game ends. You score 7 points: 6 for the neighbors and 1 for the monastery tile.
Why players argue about it:
Players count only the tiles touching the sides (4) instead of all 8, including the diagonals. Gardens from the Abbot expansion score the same way.