At all possible to change city culture?

[Maitreya]

I'm just wondering if there's any way to firmly transform a city's culture? As far as I understand, the culture penalty relates to the culture of buildings in the city, but having tried destroying several buildings to replace them with my own, I'm confused as to whether this actually works. If so, are there any particular buildings that create culture penalty, or is it simply a question of the ratio of a foreign culture's buildings vs. your own? Also, I get the impression that the governor's palace/administrative building is the most important for culture. If so, is there any way at all to destroy those damn decadent Roman palaces to replace them with a good Germanic long house overflowing with mead and other delights?

[beatoangelico]

the governor's palace is indeed the most important, is the one that defines the city culture in the game engine, the only way to change it is to let the city grown over 6000/12000/24000 and build a new one. The culture penality afaik other than the palace is also determinated by the ratio between your culture buildings and the others ones.

[Maitreya]

So if the "highest" form of governor's palace has already been built before I capture a city, I'm basically f***ed? Culture penalties in my Roman cities are killing me, because I'm forced to hold back an army large enough to conquer the world just to keep them moderately happy...

[beatoangelico]

So if the "highest" form of governor's palace has already been built before I capture a city, I'm basically f***ed? Culture penalties in my Roman cities are killing me, because I'm forced to hold back an army large enough to conquer the world just to keep them moderately happy...

well yes in that case you can't do much than keep a big garrison force (and a good governor) and build as much as you can (this reduces the penality), if you have enough money you can destroy something (like the temples) and rebuild, but probably is better to keep some low upkeep troop inside the city