Cologne’s Catholic Cathedral will begin charging tourists €12 (about $14) for admission on July 1.
The famous Gothic church and UNESCO World Heritage site first announced its plans to introduce an entrance fee in March, becoming one of the relatively few German places of worship to charge admission.
The figure announced on Wednesday is slightly higher than the €10 limit proposed in March by architect Barbara Schock-Werner, who heads the Central Cathedral Construction Association (ZDV).
Why is the church charging for admission?
Church officials said at a news conference Wednesday that the fees are needed to cover maintenance, security and daily operations of the historic site.
The maintenance costs of the building are estimated at €16 million per year – approximately €44,000 per day.
Cathedral administrator Clemens Van de Ven said, “Cathedrals cost money; cathedrals need a lot of money.” “Naturally, the entrance fee of €12 is more than welcome.”
Provost Guido Assmann said the church “has closely followed the public debate of recent weeks” on introducing an admission fee.
“Along with the critical voices, a large amount of understanding feedback also reached us, making it clear: many people know that the maintenance and upkeep of cathedrals requires reliable and sustainable financing,” Assmann said.
Are there any exceptions?
Asman said fees would be waived for certain groups like children.
They also said that there will be discounts or even free admission on certain special dates, such as January 6 (Twelfth Night), May 1 (Labor Day) and October 3, German Unity Day.
Additionally, the church plans to continue allowing free entry to worshipers who come to pray or light candles. Assmann said he believed about 99% of the cathedral’s visitors came primarily for sightseeing.
Cathedral operators said they planned to operate separate entries in the future.
Through the northern entrance, people will continue to be allowed access to a small area of the cathedral suitable for prayer. For the western main entrance, visitors will need a ticket, which will allow them to see the entire building.
Assmann acknowledged there was a “danger” of people trying to game the system, but said the church planned to rely on people’s goodwill rather than trying to control prayer access.
How does the Church raise money in Germany?
Christian churches in Germany, including the Catholic Church, have three primary sources of income.
Germany is one of several countries in mainland Europe to impose a so-called “church tax”. People who tell the tax authorities that they are either Catholic or Protestant will be surcharged with their income tax – depending on the state, 8% or 9% of their total income tax.
According to Catholic Church figures for 2024, it earned €6.62 billion (about $7.7 billion) in church taxes in 2024, slightly more than the previous year.
Thereafter, the main sources of income are private donations – for example through collection plates across the country – and other state subsidies.
Do other major churches charge entrance fees in Germany or Europe?
Entry to most German churches is free, although many ask for small fees or donations for certain tasks such as taking photographs inside.
A notable exception is the Cathedral of Berlin, which charges a standard admission fee of €15.
Such fees are more common elsewhere in Europe, and can sometimes be even higher. The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona charges €26, St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna charges €29, Westminster Abbey in London charges adults £31 (about €36). There is no fee to enter St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Johann Heinrich Clausen, cultural affairs officer for the EKD, Germany’s main Protestant church group, agreed to the entrance fee.
Clausen said, “For one thing, new sources of funding are needed to maintain these churches.” “For another, continued overtourism damages these cultural treasures. I consider reasonable entrance fees to be reasonable.”
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Edited by: Wesley Rahn