Overview
- The Kölner Dom introduced a €12 sightseeing fee in August 2026 for full interior tourist visits while keeping short devotional entries free.
- Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki reiterated that people may still enter without charge to pray through a side entrance but only a separated portion of the interior is accessible for free.
- The cathedral administration frames the new charge as necessary to meet rising maintenance and preservation costs for the UNESCO World Heritage building.
- Local residents and visitors have criticized the change because casual, spontaneous visits to the main interior are now curtailed and require payment.
- Journalists point to other major German churches that offer low-cost or free access as alternatives, highlighting wider choices for visitors and differing models for funding and visitor management.