Overworld structures inMinecraftreally do make or break the in-game experience for players. A wider variety increases immersion when exploring, and thanks to the incredible speed at which Mojang updates the game, players have been graced with a lot of new structures to explore, both natural and “man-made”.
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Igloos are one of the more man-made structures inMinecraft. They’re not quite as impressive as big dungeons like ocean monuments or woodland mansions, but they are a good find, especially early on in the game. Beginners who come across one should know a few things about igloos before walking away from them.
8Igloos Are Exclusive To Snowy Biomes
Igloos only spawn in the cold, and while that might seem like an obvious statement, there are a few conditions to this. Igloos are made out of snow blocks and have windows made out of an ice block, which means they only survive in sub-zero temperatures.
They can spawn only in the followingsnowy sub-biomes: snowy plains, snowy taigas, and snowy slopes. The most common place igloos can be easily found in are snowy plains, and they’ll be the easiest to spot in this biome as well.
7Only Some Igloos Have Basements
Igloos look quite boring on the surface. There’s no real loot inside either unless the player had only just spawned in and desperately needs a bed, a furnace, and a crafting table. However, some igloos hold a secret deep underground.
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If the player is lucky, they might be able to find a secret ladder underneath the igloos carpeted floor, which leads to a basement.Depending on world generation, it’s possible to come across the basement while mining in a cave or, if the igloo spawns on a slope, the basement might even be totally exposed. Most of the time, however, players will have to check under the carpet to find out if they got lucky. The likelihood of an igloo having a basement is about 50/50.
6Some Of The Basement Is Made Of Infested Blocks
When players take down the ladder to go and explore the secret basement, they’ll notice the walls of this area are made out of stone bricks. Given how rare stone bricks are in the wild, even though they can be found in ocean ruins more commonly since 1.13, this is a pretty nice find for builders and those who love decorating.
Be careful when mining out these walls, however, since some of the stone bricks are actually infested blocks. Just like in strongholds or when mining in mountain biomes, there’s a chance of players mining into an infested block and spawning a silverfish.
5Basements Guarantee A Golden Apple
Golden apples are one ofthe best foods inMinecraft. When consumed, players will gain two status effects: Absorption, which increases their defense, and Regeneration II, which increases their health regeneration rate. It’s fantastic when facing off against tough enemies like the Wither,Ender Dragon, or any Nether enemies in general.
That said, golden apples are expensive to make since a single one requires 8 golden ingots and one apple. Luckily, players who come across an igloo with a basement are pretty much guaranteed to find a free golden apple inside, so never scoff at an igloo and always check if there’s a basement.
4Curing The Zombie Villager Unlocks An Achievement
While it can be tempting to keep the golden apple, newer players should actually consider using it to cure the Zombie Villager found in one of the two cells in the igloo’s basement. Doing this will unlock an achievement or advancement called Zombie Doctor.
To cure the villager, grab the Splash Potion of Weakness from the brewing stand in the basement and toss it on the Zombie Villager. Then, feed the golden apple to the villager, and wait for up to 5 minutes in Java Edition, or 1 minute and 40 seconds in Bedrock Edition, and the villager will have returned to their normal state.
3Using The Igloo Furnace Melts Its Window
Igloos can be a fantastic emergency shelter for new players who are struggling to find resources or build their own house. All the necessities are there, from a furnace to a crafting table. The only problem is that using the furnace has the unfortunate effect of melting the igloo’s ice window.
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While this might seem like an oversight on Mojang’s part, it’s surprising to know that this is actually completely intentional. It also makes sense why only a redstone torch illuminates the igloo on the inside, as a regular torch will melt the ice next to it.
2Igloos With Basements Can Work As Villages
More advanced players looking to tinker with villager mechanics will be happy to know that igloos with basements can be turned into makeshift villages. This is because they actually fulfill the minimum requirements of being recognized as one: there’s a bed, at least one villager, and several job site blocks, mainly the cauldron and the brewing stand.
As a result, they’re a great place to start a villager farm once the Zombie Villager is cured. Moreover,players can even start raidson igloos due to the game recognizing them as full-blown villages once all requirements are met.
1Igloo Basement Chests Contain Potentially Great Loot
Aside from the golden apple, players have the chance of scoring other decent loot from an igloo basement chest. For both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, players should look for an emerald, gold nuggets, wheat, and apples inside the chest.
Bad loot chests will contain more useless items like rotten flesh and a stone axe. Coal is also a fairly common loot, but while useful, it’s already quite easy to mine for.
Minecraftwas released on July 01, 2025, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, and many other platforms.
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