Cologne’s Catholic Cathedral will begin charging tourists €12 (about $14) for entry from July 1.

The renowned gothic church and UNESCO world heritage site first announced its plan to introduce entry fees in March, becoming one of comparatively few German places of worship charging for admission. 

The figure announced on Wednesday is slightly higher than the €10 ceiling proposed in March by architect Barbara Schock-Werner, who heads the Central Cathedral Construction Association (ZDV).

Why is the church charging for entry? 

Church officials said at a press conference on Wednesday that the fee is needed to cover maintenance, security and daily operations of the landmark.

The maintenance cost for the building is estimated to be €16 million per year — about €44,000 per day.

“The Cathedral costs money; the Cathedral needs a lot of money,” cathedral administrator Clemens van de Ven said. “Naturally, the admission fee of €12 is, therefore, more than welcome.”

Provost Guido Assmann said that the church had “closely followed the public debate of recent weeks” on introducing entry fees. 

“Alongside the critical voices a great deal of understanding feedback also reached us, which made clear: Many people are aware that the maintenance and upkeep of the cathedral requires reliable and sustainable financing,” Assmann said.

Are there exceptions? 

Assmann said that the charge would be waived for some groups such as children. 

He also said there would be discounts or even free entry on certain special dates such as January 6 (Twelfth Night), May 1 (Labor Day) and German Unity Day on October 3. 

Furthermore, the church plans to continue to allow free admission to worshippers coming to pray or light candles. Assmann said he believed roughly 99% of the cathedral’s visitors were primarily sightseeing.

Cathedral operators said they planned to operate to separate entries in future.

Via the northern entrance, people would continue to allow access to a small area of the cathedral suited to prayer. For the western main entrance, visitors would require a ticket, enabling them to view the entire building.

Assmann conceded there was “a danger” of people trying to game this 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 including the Catholic Church have three primary sources of income in Germany. 

Germany is one of several countries in mainland Europe to levy a so-called “church tax.” People who tell tax authorities they are either Catholic or Protestant will have a surcharge taken along with their income tax — 8% or 9% of their income tax total, depending on the state. 

According to Catholic Church figures for 2024, it earned €6.62 billion (roughly $7.7 billion) in church taxes in 2024, slightly more than the previous year. 

After this, the main sources of income are private donations — for instance via the collection plates around the country — and other state subsidies. 

Do other major churches charge entry fees in Germany, or Europe? 

Most German churches remain free to enter, although many ask small fees or donations for certain acts like taking photographs inside. 

One notable exception is Berlin’s cathedral, which charges a standard entry fee of €15. 

Such charges are more common elsewhere in Europe, and can sometimes be higher. The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona charges €26, St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna charges €29, Westminster Abbey in London charges adults 31 pounds (roughly €36). St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican does not charge for entry.

Johann Hinrich Claussen, cultural affairs officer of Germany’s main protestant church group the EKD, voiced understanding for the entry fees. 

“For one thing, new sources of funds are needed to maintain these churches,” Claussen said. “For another, sustained overtourism damages these cultural treasures. I consider a reasonable entry fee appropriate.” 

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Edited by: Wesley Rahn