Tourists to pay $14 to visit Cologne Cathedral as church cites rising costs

Tourists visiting Cologne Cathedral, one of Germany’s most famous landmarks, will be charged a €12 ($14) admission fee starting in July, church officials have announced.

Cathedral administrator Clemens van de Ven said the change has become necessary because the UNESCO-listed site costs $44,000 ($51,000) a day to run, driven by rising maintenance, security and operating costs.

Tourists were advised to purchase tickets in advance. Online sales are set to open June 15, with tickets available up to three months in advance. Visitors without digital access will be able to purchase tickets at a cathedral office near the site.

Under the new rules, children aged 13 and under, people with severe disabilities, and their designated companions will be admitted free of charge. A reduced €6 ($7) ticket will be available for students aged 14 and older, apprentices, and university students.

Church leaders stressed that access will remain free for those attending services, praying privately, or lighting candles. To accommodate this, separate entry areas will be created inside the monumental Gothic building. The cathedral also intends to offer free admission during certain church holidays and selected special events.

Officials said they do not expect the fee to significantly reduce visitor numbers, which are estimated at about 6 million people a year.

However, the decision has drawn criticism in Cologne and beyond, including from former cathedral architect Barbara Schock-Werner.

“A visit to the cathedral shouldn't only be possible for the well-off,” Schock-Werner told German public broadcaster WDR. “For me, there must also be spaces free of commerce.”

Schock-Werner added that she would have preferred an alternative funding model, such as a foundation or a dedicated support fund.