Cologne Cathedral: Tickets & City Pass Inclusion
1.5 - 3 h (nave, South Tower climb and Treasury combined)
Gothic Cathedral & UNESCO World Heritage Site
Construction began 1248; completed 1880; UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996
Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany
Planning to visit Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)?
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Practical Visitor Info & Tips
€12.00
€6 (students 14+, apprentices, NRW social-pass holders); free for children under 14 and severely disabled visitors with a companion
Tourist nave visits: Mon-Sat 10:00-17:45 (last entry 17:30), Sun/holidays 13:30-16:30 (last entry 16:15) — free worship access via the North Transept is unaffected. South Tower: Mar-Oct 9:00-18:00, Nov-Feb 9:00-16:00 (last entry 30 min before closing). Domschatzkammer: daily 10:00-18:00 (last admission 17:30).
Nave entry has required a paid ticket for tourist visits since 1 July 2026 (online or at the Kurienhaus office); the South Tower and Treasury are separate, independently ticketed components. Online booking recommended for the tower, which has limited spiral-staircase capacity. Worship/prayer visits via the North Transept remain free and ticketless at any time.
Germany's most-visited Gothic cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996). As of this verification, three separately-ticketed components: the nave/interior (paid tourist ticket since 1 July 2026), the South Tower climb (533 steps), and the Domschatzkammer (Treasury, medieval reliquaries and vestments). Free worship/prayer access continues via the North Transept regardless of the new nave fee.
| Option | Price | Booking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nave / tourist interior visit (Adult / Reduced) | €12 / €6 | Ticket required since 1 Jul 2026; book online or at the Kurienhaus office | |
| South Tower climb (Adult / Reduced) | €8 / €4 | Online booking recommended; walk-up at Kurienhaus, Roncalliplatz 2 | |
| Domschatzkammer / Treasury (Adult / Reduced) | €8 / €4 | Daily 10:00-18:00, last admission 17:30 | |
| Combined Tower + Treasury (Adult / Reduced) | €12 / €6 | Sold as a single combo ticket | |
| With KölnCard | Treasury only: 20% off (~€6.40 / €3.20). Nave and Tower: no discount. | Show the KölnCard at the Treasury ticket desk | |
| Worship / private prayer (North Transept) | Free, at any time | No ticket needed |
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Ticket Options
€12.00
Check whether a city pass already covers this attraction before buying separately.
See pass compatibility below ↓Overview & History
Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is Germany's most-visited landmark and the twin-spired Gothic cathedral overlooking the Rhine. A major, very recent change affects every visitor: since 1 July 2026, tourists must buy a ticket to enter the nave for general sightseeing — a fee that did not exist before. Worship and private prayer remain free at all times through the North Transept. Beyond the nave itself, the South Tower climb (533 steps to a platform with the best view over the Rhine) and the Domschatzkammer (Cathedral Treasury, home to medieval reliquaries and vestments) are separate, independently ticketed experiences, sold by the cathedral chapter rather than the city.
What to See: Top Highlights
Shrine of the Three Kings
A monumental gold reliquary behind the high altar, said to hold the relics of the Three Magi and the reason the cathedral was first built on this site in the 13th century.
South Tower Climb
533 spiral stone steps up to a viewing platform for a panorama over the Rhine and the city — the same tower that made the cathedral the world's tallest building from 1880 to 1884.
Domschatzkammer (Treasury)
Vaulted medieval cellar rooms displaying liturgical vestments, reliquaries and gold and silver work from the cathedral's 750-year history.
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Is This Covered by the KölnCard?
Compare Cologne PassesOnly partially. The KölnCard is a discount card, not a free-entry pass, and it covers just one of the cathedral's three separately-ticketed components: cardholders get a confirmed 20% discount on the Domschatzkammer (Treasury) admission price, per KölnTourismus's own partner-discount documentation. The new nave-entry ticket (introduced 1 July 2026) and the South Tower climb carry no KölnCard discount at all.
KölnCard
Conditional. Only the Domschatzkammer (Treasury) component gets a KölnCard discount, confirmed at 20% off. The new nave-entry ticket (introduced 1 July 2026) and the South Tower climb receive no KölnCard discount at all — do not present the whole cathedral complex as discounted.
Data Provenance
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Frequently Asked Questions
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