Cologne Cathedral at a glance
Cologne Cathedral is the Catholic cathedral of the Archbishop of Cologne and one of the best-known Gothic churches in Europe. Building began in 1248 and the church was completed in 1880. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1996. The cathedral stands at Domkloster 4, directly beside Cologne Central Station, and the tram stop is called Dom/Hbf.
Since 1 July 2026 the tourist visit of the interior needs a ticket. Prayer and services stay free, and children up to and including 13 years pay nothing for the interior, the tower or the treasury. The tower and the treasury are sold separately from the interior ticket. Prices below are the 2026 prices and can change.
Our picks: Cologne Cathedral and the city
A private day with a driver, a bike tour, two VR walks, the classic cathedral and old town tour and an hour on the Rhine.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private Cologne day with a guide and driver
- Licensed guide
- Vehicle with driver
- Pickup in Cologne
A licensed guide and a vehicle with driver for three to seven hours. The tower climb is an option you pay separately; the KölnTriangle ticket comes with the seven-hour option.
Check availability →
Three-hour guided bike tour of Cologne
- Guide
- Rental bike and helmet
- Rain poncho
A guide, a rental bike, a helmet and a rain poncho for three hours along the Rhine and through the city.
Check availability →
Old town walk with virtual reality glasses
- Live guide
- VR glasses
A live guide and VR glasses that show how the old town looked in earlier centuries. The separate VR museum at the start is not part of it.
Check availability →
Walk around Cologne Cathedral with VR glasses
- Guide
- VR glasses
One hour around the outside of the cathedral with a guide and VR glasses that show its construction. The tour does not go inside.
Check availability →Cathedral and old town tour with a Kölsch
- Two-hour guided tour
- One Kölsch or soft drink
Two hours with a guide around the cathedral and through the old town, ending with a Kölsch or soft drink in a brewhouse. The visit inside the cathedral is not included.
Check availability →
One-hour panorama cruise on the Rhine
- One-hour boat trip
- Commentary in German and English
A one-hour boat trip past the old town with recorded commentary in German and English.
Check availability →Cologne Cathedral tours and tickets
Guided visits, the roof and excavation tours, Rhine cruises and old town walks, with live prices and availability. Check whether the interior ticket is included before you book.
What this guide covers
This guide is about the cathedral and the places you can reach on foot from it. It starts with the practical questions: what a ticket costs, how the 533 steps of the south tower work, what the Cathedral Treasury holds and which guided tours exist. It then moves inside the church to the Shrine of the Three Kings, the Gero Cross and the stained glass, and explains the facts, the history and the architecture.
For planning there are pages on opening hours and service times, getting there by train, the best time to visit and where to stay. If you have a free afternoon, the pages on the Christmas market, a Rhine cruise and other things to do in Cologne show what sits within a short walk. A good first step is the ticket prices page, because the interior, the tower and the treasury each have their own ticket.
Plan your visit
The main pages, grouped by what you want to do.
Tickets and prices 2026
Interior, tower and treasury: who pays what and where to buy.
Tower climb
533 steps up the south tower, hours, closing days and what to expect.
Guided tours
Interior tours, the roof, the excavations and the children's tour.
Cologne tours
Old town walks and the Rhine panorama cruise.
Cathedral Treasury
Prices, hours and what the vaults hold.
Opening hours and services
When tourists can enter and when services take place.
Inside the cathedral
The shrine, the windows and the Gero Cross.
Shrine of the Three Kings
The gold reliquary behind the high altar.
Background, surroundings and practical pages
Facts and history, the city around the cathedral, and how to organize the trip.
Facts and figures
Towers, size, bells and build time.
History
From the foundation stone of 1248 to completion in 1880 and the war.
Architecture
Gothic facade, towers and windows from two centuries.
The cathedral at night
Lighting, views from the other bank and the evening tour.
Christmas market 2026
Dates and hours of the market on Roncalliplatz and others.
Rhine cruise
A one-hour panorama cruise and a dinner cruise.
Things to do in Cologne
Museums, the old town, the Hohenzollern Bridge and the Rhine.
Getting there
Train, airport, parking and the tram stop at the cathedral.
Best time to visit
Seasons, carnival dates and markets.
Where to stay
Which area suits a short trip, and the city's culture tax.
A few things to know before you go
Short answers to the questions visitors ask most.
The interior needs a ticket
Since 1 July 2026 a tourist visit of the interior costs €12, or €6 reduced. Services and personal prayer stay free, and so does the interior for children up to and including 13 years. A resident of Cologne or a church member does not get in free for that reason alone.
Ticket prices →Tower and treasury have their own tickets
The south tower costs €8 (€4 reduced), the treasury also €8 (€4 reduced), and together they cost €12 (€6). The tower has 533 steps and no lift.
Tower climb →Roof and excavation tours need no extra ticket
The roof tour and the excavation tour cost €27 and are for visitors aged 16 and over. A guided tour of the interior is a different product, and the interior ticket is added to it.
Guided tours →The towers are almost equally tall
The south tower is 157.22 m high and the north tower 157.18 m.
Facts and figures →The night lighting is new
The exterior lighting was renewed in April 2025. From 01:00 it is strongly dimmed, so the cathedral is not fully dark at night but also not lit at full strength.
The cathedral at night →The cathedral was badly damaged in the war
It took 14 heavy bombs and more than 70 incendiary hits. The choir and transept were restored by 1948 and the nave by 1956.
History →Cologne Cathedral: frequently asked questions
Does it cost money to visit Cologne Cathedral?
Since 1 July 2026 the tourist visit of the interior needs a ticket, €12 for adults and €6 reduced in 2026. Services and personal prayer are free, and children up to and including 13 years pay nothing. Tower and treasury are separate tickets. See the tickets page.
How many steps does the tower have?
533 steps up the south tower, with no lift. The platform is at about 100 m. The cathedral suggests 30 to 45 minutes for the climb. The tower page has hours, closing days and rules for children.
When can tourists enter the cathedral?
Regular visiting hours are 10:00 to 17:45 from Monday to Saturday, with last entry at 17:30. On Sundays and church holidays they are 13:30 to 16:30, with last entry at 16:15. The church itself opens earlier, but that is not a tourist visiting time. During services parts of the church can be closed. See the opening hours page.
How do I get to the cathedral?
It stands directly beside Cologne Central Station. The tram stop is Dom/Hbf, served by lines 5, 16 and 18. From Cologne Bonn Airport the S19 takes about 14 minutes. More on the getting there page.
Can I book a guided tour of the cathedral?
Yes. Public interior tours last 60 minutes and cost €8, or €6 reduced, in German or English. The interior ticket is added. The roof and excavation tours last about 90 minutes. Details are on the tours page.
Is cologne-cathedral.org the official website of the cathedral?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not the website of Cologne Cathedral, the Cathedral Chapter, the Cathedral Workshop or Cologne Tourism, and it is not connected to any tour operator or hotel.