Cologne Cathedral is set to introduce a visitor's fee for tourists following a rise in operating costs.
The famed Gothic building in western Germany said “increased personnel and operating costs” meant upkeep had risen “sharply” in recent years.
A visitor's fee of an undetermined amount will be paid by tourists in the second half of 2026 to fill gaps in funding.
Existing fees to climb the tower, visit the cathedral treasury and attend concerts may also increase, but entry will remain free for worshippers and members of the Central Cathedral Building Association.
Access to votive candles and silent prayer in designated areas will also remain free of charge.
According to cathedral operators, between 1,800 and 2,000 services and six million visitors are hosted annually.
A decrease in cathedral visitor numbers could have a “positive impact on the atmosphere” by controlling large crowds, they added.
Current cost projections for 2026 include an expenditure of around €16 million (£13.8m).
Generally, operating costs are covered by the Archdiocese of Cologne and the Central Cathedral Building Association, with further external funding from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Cologne.
An offer by the Archdiocese of Cologne to bring forward 2027’s annual subsidy for the cathedral will be “helpful for investing in urgently needed measures to develop new sources of income”, said cathedral provost Msgr Guido Assmann.
The cathedral provost said: “This is a step we, as the Cathedral Chapter, are taking after careful consideration and with full awareness of our great responsibility.
“It may seem to some like an infringement on cherished traditions. But it is essential if we want to continue the care, protection, and ongoing operation of the Cathedral in the proven manner.”
He added, “We expect that the new admission fee will significantly calm the daily operations in the cathedral and help to make the cathedral more accessible again as a house of worship and a sacred space.”
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