Free tours are a thing of the past. The famous temple introduced fees

From July 1 this year The rules for visiting the Cologne Cathedral have changed. Now you have to pay a lot to see the interior of one of the largest Gothic churches in the world. Free entry was replaced by a ticket price of 12 euros (a few months ago the amount was planned to be 2 euros lower). This is a way to protect the temple’s treasures and keep them in the best possible condition for future generations. The church also created a free zone, but it is small and intended for believers, not tourists.

High fees to visit the famous cathedral

Maintenance costs at the Cologne Cathedral are rising. It was decided that the way to keep the monument in good condition would be to introduce mandatory entrance fees. Guests will experience significant changes from July 1, 2026 – until then, entry to the baroque temple was free of charge, and now the ticket costs as much as EUR 12 (over PLN 50). For an average tourist this is a lot, even if the price is not even close to the fee applicable, for example, in Sagrada Família, where the price list starts from 26 euros. “It is estimated that the cost of maintaining the Cathedral is EUR 16 million per year, or approximately EUR 44,000 per day,” writes Deutsche Welle.

This is how you can save

There are of course ways to pay less. Pupils and students over 14 years of age will benefit from a 50% discount, and younger students will be able to enter the Cathedral completely free of charge. As stated on the attraction’s website, entry is also free for all participants of services and people who would like to pray or light a candle in front of the image of the Virgin Mary in the Sanctuary. “For this purpose, visitors can enter the cathedral free of charge through the northern transept entrance from Cologne Central Station,” we read. However, the vast majority of guests are tourists.