As of:
Translated from German; if there are differences, the German version applies.
The cathedral in 1, 2 or 3 hours
Times and prices as of 8 November 2026. The pages of the Cathedral Chapter and the ticket shop are binding. We do not sell tickets.
Visit planner: the cathedral in 1, 2 or 3 hours
Choose the day, time and how much time you have, tick your interests: the planner builds a schedule from the opening times, service times and prices stated by the Cathedral Chapter (as of 8 November 2026). It runs only in your browser; your entries are not stored and are not sent to any server.10,
Your schedule
Does not fit into your plan
Tickets per adult
Prices for the cathedral visit according to the booking page of the official ticket shop (retrieved 23 October 2026; the information pages of the Cathedral Chapter do not state them)6,
Good to know
- Small bags and daypacks up to 40 × 35 × 15 cm are allowed. Wheeled suitcases, trolleys and trekking rucksacks must stay outside; they are not stored.1
- Shoulders and upper body covered, skirts and trousers at least to mid-thigh. Food and drink only outside. The cathedral is neither heated nor cooled.1,
2 - Cathedral staff carry out personal checks on entry to the cathedral, the treasury and the tower climb.3
- On the tower, bags are only allowed up to 40 × 35 × 10 cm. There are no lockers at the tower ticket desk.4
- Children may climb the tower with their parents if they can manage the 533 steps on their own. There is no space for pushchairs at the tower ticket desk.4
- Children up to and including age 13 go free; a free ticket is available in the ticket shop.5,
6 - The public children's tour “Dom für Spürnasen” starts on Sundays at 14:30 (60 minutes); all tours in the cathedral must be booked in advance, and the tour ticket is only valid together with a sightseeing ticket.7,
8 - The interior and the Cathedral Treasury are accessible. Wheelchair users can reach the Domplatte via the Domgässchen.9
- On Sundays and public holidays the belfry in the tower is closed until 14:00.4
- You do not need a ticket for a service. On weekdays you usually enter from the north side; on Sundays and for the Saturday vigil Mass usually through the main portal in the west.5,
10 - Besides the regular services, the Cathedral Chapter's daily service calendar lists further events, in October 2026 for example a prayer for peace at 12:00 on weekdays. According to the cathedral's house rules, sightseeing is only possible outside liturgical times; it is worth checking the calendar before your visit.11,
1 - Church holidays have the sightseeing times of a Sunday. The Cathedral Chapter does not list which days these are; if your day is a church holiday, tick the box above.10
- On Sundays and church holidays, sightseeing is only possible from about 13:30 to 16:30 (last admission 16:15).10
- From November to February the tower already closes at 16:00 (last admission 15:30).4
The planner does not know about short-notice closures, concerts or special services. The pages of the Cathedral Chapter and the ticket shop are binding. To the Cathedral Chapter's daily service calendar
How the planner calculates
The planner only knows times that the Cathedral Chapter (Domkapitel), which runs the cathedral, publishes: opening times, last admission, service times, the time needed for the tower and the prices.10,
- Sightseeing in the interior: usually 10:00 to 17:45 (last admission 17:30), on Sundays and church holidays about 13:30 to 16:30 (last admission 16:15). The page does not say which days count as church holidays, so you select this yourself in the planner.10,
12 - South Tower: March to October 09:00 to 18:00, November to February 09:00 to 16:00, last admission half an hour before closing. For a visit to the tower, the Cathedral Chapter recommends allowing about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on your pace on the steps and the time you spend on the platform; the planner allows 45 minutes.4
- Cathedral Treasury: usually 10:00 to 18:00, last admission 17:30.13
- Closing days: The tower and the Cathedral Treasury are closed on 1 January, on Weiberfastnacht (the Thursday on which street carnival begins), Carnival Saturday, Carnival Sunday and Rosenmontag (Carnival Monday), on 11 November and on 24, 25 and 31 December. The planner calculates the carnival days from the date of Easter.4,
13 - Services: During services the cathedral is partly or completely closed to sightseeing. If you would like to attend a service, the planner gives you the first one in your time window and schedules whatever fits before it.11
What no source states, the planner does not calculate for you. The Cathedral Chapter does not say how long people stay in the interior, in the Cathedral Treasury or outside on the Domplatte, the raised plaza in front of the cathedral. The planner divides this time evenly and marks it as our suggestion. The length of a service is not stated anywhere either; the planner therefore ends with its start.
How long does a visit to Cologne Cathedral take?
The Cathedral Chapter and the DOMFORUM visitor centre opposite the main portal give a duration only for the tower and for the guided tours. For the South Tower with its 533 steps, the Cathedral Chapter gives 30 to 45 minutes.4 The public children’s tour lasts 60 minutes.7 The special tours of the roof and the excavations take about 90 minutes, the bell tour 120 minutes and the night tour 90 minutes; they are only for ages 16 and over.15,
For sightseeing in the interior and in the Cathedral Treasury, the Cathedral Chapter gives no guideline time. There are no audio guides in the cathedral; if you want explanations, book a guided tour.19
What an hour changes: three examples
The time of day matters more than the length of your visit. The examples show what the planner outputs with the times stated by the Cathedral Chapter (as of 8 November 2026). Events that appear only in the daily service calendar are known to it only as a note.10,
| Arrival | Time | What fits |
|---|---|---|
| weekday 09:00, October | 2 hours | tower from 09:00, sightseeing in the interior from 10:00 |
| Sunday 10:15 | 2 hours | no sightseeing (only from 13:30), but the tower and the treasury; if you tick a service, your plan ends with Mass at 12:00 |
| weekday 16:30, November | 1 hour | sightseeing until the end of your hour at 17:30 (open until 17:45); in November the tower already closes at 16:00 |
Is Cologne Cathedral open today?
For prayer, the cathedral is usually open every day, outside service times via the north transept on the station side: Monday to Friday from 06:00 to 20:00, on Saturdays and Sundays usually from 06:00 to 18:15. Short-notice restrictions due to building work or events are announced by the Cathedral Chapter only on its own website; the planner does not know about them.10
Frequently asked questions
How long does the climb up Cologne Cathedral take? The Cathedral Chapter recommends allowing about 30 to 45 minutes for the South Tower with its 533 steps – depending on how fast you climb and how long you stay at the top. Last admission is half an hour before closing.4
Can I visit the cathedral on a Sunday morning? No. On Sundays and church holidays, sightseeing is only possible from about 13:30 to 16:30; in the morning Masses are celebrated, which you can attend without a ticket.10,
Do I need a ticket for a service? No, you do not need a ticket for services, personal prayer or lighting a candle.5
What does a visit with the tower and the treasury cost? Sightseeing costs €12 according to the ticket shop, plus the combined ticket for the tower and the treasury at €12; reduced €6 each. Children up to and including age 13 go free.6,
Does the plan work with a wheelchair? Yes, the interior and the Cathedral Treasury are accessible; the planner leaves out the South Tower because it is not accessible for people with walking disabilities.9
Does the planner store my entries? No. It only calculates in your browser. Your entries appear after the # sign in the address so that you can pass the link on; the browser does not send this part to a server.