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Cologne Cathedral to Charge Entry From July

The Domkapitel says the fee will pay for costly conservation work by the Dombauhütte to keep the cathedral open for the long term.

Touristen fotografieren den Kölner Dom. Der Kölner Dom wird Touristen in Zukunft 12 Euro Eintritt kosten.
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Für den Besuch des Kölner Doms wird ab Juli eine Eintrittsgebühr von zwölf Euro fällig. Künftig sei der touristische Zugang zum Innenraum des Doms nur noch mit Ticket möglich, teilte das Domkapitel in Köln mit.

Overview

  • The cathedral chapter decided that visitors will be charged entry starting in July and plans to announce the exact price at a Domkapitel press briefing scheduled for Tuesday at 11:00.
  • The Domkapitel frames the fee as necessary to cover very high operating and restoration costs, with the Dombauhütte responsible for specialized conservation work on the UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • Members of the Zentral-Dombau-Verein will keep free access and the Domkapitel has said worshippers and those attending services will not have to pay, though how that will be managed has not been detailed.
  • Public reaction is split: a dpa survey of Cologne figures shows vocal opposition from people such as Hape Kerkeling and Karl Lauterbach and support or understanding from voices like Gerhard Richter and Carolin Kebekus.
  • Critics warn the fee will deter spontaneous local visits and change the cathedral’s role for residents while supporters point to international precedents where major churches charge entry, such as St. Paul’s, Westminster and the Sagrada Família.