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Cologne Cathedral will cost tourists entry in the future. This is intended to cover the increased costs for care, protection and the ongoing operation of the cathedral, as the cathedral chapter announced at a press conference.
The fee will be charged from the second half of the year and applies to the large interior of the cathedral.
The cathedral therefore remains free of charge for worshipers and worshipers as well as members of the Central Cathedral Building Association. Access to sacrificial lights and silent prayer in certain areas should also remain free. However, according to cathedral provost Guido Assmann, tourists make up around 99 percent of cathedral visitors. The cathedral chapter did not yet want to say how high the so-called “viewing fee for tourist visitors” will be and how controls will be carried out.
A closed meeting at the beginning of the week looked at the development of the cathedral’s economic situation and showed that the increased costs could no longer be met without admission. A planning phase will clarify further details in the coming weeks.
Previously, the large interior of the cathedral was always free, but entry was required for the treasury or the climb to the viewing platform. The cathedral chapter has now announced that losses have been recorded for six years in a row since 2019. This could have been covered with reserves for many years. “We have come to the situation that the Cologne Cathedral’s reserves will be used up in the foreseeable future,” explained Domrendant Clemens van de Ven.
