An entire country in Minecraft

When you create in Minecraft, what do you enjoy the most? Some players favor smaller builds like houses and gardens, while others aim for grander constructions such as entire castles. Then there are the few who take on the challenge of crafting vast cities, sometimes even metropolises using blocks. However, nothing compares to this particular creation!

Are we sure about that?

Absolutely! The Republic of Union Islands is not just a city with neighborhoods; it’s an imagined nation within an alternate universe comprising six distinct states: Noiburg, Montanya, Orleans, Dramhail, Victoria, and the Federal District. Each of these regions boasts its own unique architectural styles. Many designs were inspired by structures from Europe, America, Asia, and the Pacific, resulting in an incredibly stunning game world. Even more impressive is that most of this work comes from a single builder from the Philippines – IGFredMcWaffe, or simply Frederic.




Like many builders, Frederic drew inspiration from other iconic creations in Minecraft Bedrock, including Greenfield and the Keralis World. Eventually, he decided to embark on his own city project. This endeavor, known as “Invalid City,” started as a small town that Frederic worked on for a long time (with occasional help from friends in brainstorming and designing buildings). Initially, he aimed to create a modest town but soon found himself expanding it into a metropolis. As construction continued, new structures emerged one after another, and gradually “Invalid City” grew far beyond its original scope. Ultimately, Frederic chose not to halt progress but instead expand it into a national scale!

“I want to have memories of this phase of my life,” explains Frederic, “and this project will remind me of my youthful passion for building and the invaluable experience I gained during this time. I also wish to share my work with others.”

Frederic has been fascinated by architecture since elementary school, often sketching ideas in Google SketchUp. After moving to high school, his friends introduced him to Minecraft Pocket Edition, which marked a new chapter in his life, as he fell in love with the game from day one. Now, let’s return to the present and remember that Frederic has dedicated over six years to developing this city!




Many have attempted similar large-scale projects, but this assembly represents something greater than mere block structures; the Republic of Union Islands possesses its own history and knowledge embedded within the city. Notably, Frederic devoted significant attention to detail and accuracy in this aspect of the project.

“Initially, the build lacked direction or purpose,” says Frederic. “I was just constructing streets and adding a few buildings between them until they expanded to enormous proportions. At that point, I realized I needed to organize everything and define characteristics for each district, city, and municipality. This allowed me to give meaning and explain why I chose specific designs for certain areas.”

“It truly is worth it. Seeing the outcome of your efforts on the digital canvas of Minecraft evokes an indescribable feeling!”

Each region is based on the architecture of a particular country. For instance, the capital Ciudad de Montanya, located in the Union Islands, is designed in a Spanish style. Additionally, the city’s narrative includes real historical events, one being the American Revolution. Just imagine how much time must have been spent researching countries and their histories, followed by planning and construction! It seems Frederic worked tirelessly day and night!

“I’ve probably spent thousands and thousands of hours!” laughs Frederic. “It was a continuous process. Once I gathered all the necessary information and formed a general picture in my mind, having a clearer idea of the final build made everything go much faster.”

Frederic’s Tip #1: Seek Inspiration! There are countless sources, such as books, movies, places you’ve visited, or even those you haven’t yet explored. Mighty Google Search excels at helping with this task! You can find valuable insights for creating your own builds.

Frederic’s Tip #2: Set Goals. This is crucial. You need to know what you want, have a direction, and a goal to strive towards, putting in effort to achieve it. Only once you reach that goal will you understand the journey you’ve taken and what you’ve accomplished during that time.

Frederic’s Tip #3: Create an Action Plan. Decide whether you want to recreate a scene from a movie, a real city, or build your own imaginative world. If you’re aiming to replicate a real city, break it down into zones, plan accordingly, and start studying each sector.

Frederic’s Tip #4: Appreciate What You Do. Enjoy the process every minute. Learn to value and have fun with what you invest your time and energy into. But occasionally pause, take breaks, and reflect on what you’ve already built. This can be very inspiring and motivating. It’s during these moments that you begin to realize the significance of your hard work and the time spent.

While working on the city, Frederic discovered three essential tools that became indispensable aids: WorldEdit, MCEdit, and World Painter. He uses WorldEdit for designing buildings in Minecraft and MCEdit for creating schematics and corner constructions. “These two tools complement each other perfectly; using them together helps place repetitive map details like lamps, electrical poles, rooftop features, road signs, trees, and rows of houses,” he explains. “World Painter, on the other hand, is used to create realistic natural environments, such as lakes, valleys, and mountain ranges.” This makes the city appear as lifelike as possible, despite existing solely within the realm of Minecraft Bedrock.

Frederic searches for references to architectural structures through Google images. Some buildings in the Republic of Union Islands were entirely reconstructed from those pictures, such as the Manila Cathedral in the Philippines, the Seville Tower in Spain, or Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. Nevertheless, there are also uniquely conceived structures by the author himself. He believes this adds uniqueness to his build. “Most of these designs represent a blend of various styles, like the Montana Metropolitan Theater, which combines modern architecture with Art Deco influences.”

At first glance, it may seem that the materials used to construct any building in Minecraft Bedrock are identical to those of real-world structures, such as typical bricks and concrete blocks. However, that’s not the case! Instead of standard blocks, Frederic opted for wool! “This is probably the most important block I’ve used because it was the only type that came in different colors before the latest updates added terracotta and concrete variants,” he clarifies. “Bricks and wooden planks were mainly utilized for constructing older buildings.”

So, after six years of labor and the creation of an entire nation in Minecraft, does Frederic intend to finish this build? Again, the answer is no! “I expect to complete the build possibly in a few years or more. I might even have children, and the map will still be under development,” he chuckles. I admire Frederic’s dedication! Perhaps he’ll name some of his future kids after the cities he’s built? Good luck in school, Dramhail!




In such a vast build, it must be challenging to highlight personal touches, but Frederic certainly