Ocean Monument

Ocean monuments, also known as simply monuments, are rare underwater structures found in deep ocean biomes and variants. They are inhabited by guardians and elder guardians. They are the only place where sponges can be found and one of the two places where prismarine can be found; the other being ocean ruins.

Generation
Ocean monuments generate in areas with deep ocean biome variants everywhere within a 16 block square radius around the center point, and an aquatic biome (regular/deep/frozen ocean, regular/frozen river) everywhere within a 29 block square radius around the center point. In order to prevent air pockets, water generates around the monument as a part of the structure. It is the largest structure that does not contain a loot chest and the largest water structure. An ocean monument can also overwrite other structures like strongholds during generation.

They can be located with ocean explorer maps, which are bought from cartographer villagers with emeralds.

Ocean monuments may also generate in existing chunks with an (i.e. the amount of time players have been in the chunk) of less than 3 minutes. They generate in locations that they would have generated in the current version of Minecraft, regardless of what terrain was originally there, meaning they may generate inside large square pools of water surrounded by land, causing the terrain to be harshly cut off.

Mobs
The area of the ocean monument spawns only guardians after generating, also being the only location they spawn. Ocean monuments always contain three elder guardians – one at the top and one in each wing.

In Bedrock Edition, ocean monuments always generate at the same Y level, with the top of the roof always being at Y=56. The seafloor surrounding the monument will be cut off should it be higher than the monument's base.

Structure


The monument is constructed entirely from variants of prismarine and lit by sea lanterns. It includes a large central section flanked by two wings. Under the monument are 23 giant pillars that stretch to the ocean floor. The main entrance is located at the front of the central section. The base size of the structure is 58×58 blocks. Thus, the ocean monument (the location where guardians and elder guardians spawn) area is 3,364 square blocks.



The central section consists of various types of chambers. The chambers are randomly generated; each monument has a different number of rooms (at least six) arranged in a unique manner. The chambers connect vertically and horizontally to the different parts of the monument, including the left and right wings. At the topmost room resides an elder guardian. Around the center of the central section lies the treasure chamber, a tall room with eight gold blocks encased in dark prismarine.

Occasionally, monuments contain one or more rooms with approximately 30 wet sponges on the ceiling. Sponge rooms have an opening only in the floor. Not all monuments generate sponge rooms.

One of the wings contains a large room with a small pillar at the center. The room contains a second elder guardian. The other wing consists of a large open space with a large, square-shaped platform, containing another elder guardian. A long hallway that arcs around the wings and the back portion of the monument connects the two wings together.