Cologne Cathedral is generally open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.If you would like to attend a church service at Cologne Cathedral, please consult our up-to-date <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.koelner-dom.de/glauben/gottesdienste-und-beichte">Church Service Calendar</a> before your visit for the current schedule.Outside church service times, you are warmly invited to experience Cologne Cathedral as a place of prayer and spiritual reflection. For this purpose, you may enter the North Transept free of charge via the entrance on the side facing Cologne Central Station. This entrance is generally open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. outside service times. You are welcome to come here to pray, light a candle in front of the Schmuckmadonna, or visit our Blessed Sacrament Chapel.Tourist visits to Cologne Cathedral with a corresponding ticket (see below) are possible outside liturgical times. Visiting hours are generally:Monday to Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. (last admission: 5:30 p.m.)Sundays and Church holidays: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (last admission: 4:15 p.m.)Please note that temporary restrictions may occur at short notice due to construction work or special events. We naturally make every effort to keep any disruption to a minimum.The Cathedral Tower is generally open:March to October: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. &nbsp;&nbsp;November to February: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.Last admission is possible up to 30 minutes before closing time.The Treasury is generally open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Last admission at 5.30 p.m.

Opening hours

Tourist visits to the Cathedral are generally possible:Monday to Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. (last admission: 5:30 p.m.)Sundays and Church holidays: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (last admission: 4:15 p.m.)Please note that opening hours may occasionally be affected by church services, special events, or construction work. &nbsp;Since 1 July 2026, a ticket is required for tourist visits to the interior of Cologne Cathedral.Tickets can be purchased <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.koelner-dom.de/tickets">here</a>.On site: Central Ticket Office, Roncalliplatz 2, 50667 CologneThe Central Ticket Office is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.Tickets for the Cathedral interior, the Treasury, and the Cathedral Tower are available through the same sales channels.

Tickets for tourist visits

Church services at Cologne Cathedral are held at the following times: Working days (Monday to Saturday): Holy Mass: 6.30 a.m., 7.15 a.m., 8.00 a.m., 9.00 a.m., and 6.30 p.m. Devotional Service: Monday to Friday, 6.00 p.m.Sundays: Holy Mass: 7.00 a.m., 8.30 a.m., 10.00 a.m., 12 midday, 6.30 p.m. Musical Evening Prayer: 5.30 p.m.Please consult our up-to-date <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.koelner-dom.de/glauben/gottesdienste-und-beichte">Church Service Calendar</a>.

Church Service hours

From the viewing platform of the Cathedral’s South Tower, approximately 100 metres above ground level, visitors can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Cologne’s city centre, the River Rhine, and the surrounding region.To reach the platform, visitors must climb 533 steps. The ascent begins with a spiral staircase leading to a height of almost 75 metres, while the final section to the viewing platform is reached via a metal staircase.&nbsp;For opening hours, admission fees, and further information, please click <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.koelner-dom.de/besuchen/turmbesteigung">here</a>.

Cathedral Tower

Where is the entrance to the tower?

When is the tower generally open to the public?

On what days is the tower closed?

When is last admission to the tower?

Is there a lift?

Do I have to make a booking in advance for myself/my group?

How much time should I plan in for a visit to the south tower of Cologne Cathedral?

How old does a child have to be to climb the south tower of Cologne Cathedral?

When are children and young people allowed to enter the tower of Cologne Cathedral unaccompanied?

Are there lockers or spaces to park buggies/prams at the entrance?

Should I expect long queues/waiting periods?

Do holders of the KölnPass pay a reduced rate?

Do holders of the KölnCard pay a reduced rate?

Do members of Church or charity organisations pay a reduced rate?

Do the steps leading to the viewing platform pass the cathedral bells?

You are warmly invited to discover the Treasury of Cologne Cathedral, located in the medieval vaulted cellars beneath the Cathedral Sacristy. Here, you can explore precious reliquaries, liturgical vessels, and textiles dating from the 4th to the 20th century.The two-storey medieval sacristy cellar houses the insignia of the Archbishops of Cologne, as well as a remarkable collection of liturgical objects and vestments. The Relics Chamber contains the Cathedral’s most important relics.Other rooms are dedicated to the veneration of the Magi, early medieval Frankish graves, and medieval sculptures. Temporary exhibitions are presented in the area known as the Library. &nbsp;For opening hours, admission fees, and further information, please click <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.koelner-dom.de/besuchen/domschatzkammer">here</a>.&nbsp;

Treasury

Dear visitors to Cologne Cathedral, We are happy to welcome you to the Cathedral St. Peter at Cologne. This cathedral was built to the glory of God and is to this day, above all, a house of prayer and worship. The cathedral protects the precious relics of the Magi. By entering the cathedral, you acknowledge the following rules.

Important notices

§1 Conduct

§2 Photography and Filming

§3 Luggage and and Personal Belongings

§4 Distribution of Printed Material

§5 Animals

§6 Guided Tours

§7 Cathedral Staff and Cathedral Attendants

<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/app_en_4f20353cf6.jpg"></figure>Download the free Cologne Cathedral app containing a spiritual tour of Cologne Cathedral: spiritual thoughts at ten different locations in the cathedral. The app also includes mass times and opening hours, information on the cathedral's works of art, topical issues, events, and much more.<figure class="image image-style-align-left image_resized" style="width:14.88%;"><a href="https://apps.apple.com/de/app/k%C3%B6lner-dom-offiziell/id6461459021" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="/uploads/appstore_752c89169e.svg"></a></figure><figure class="image image-style-align-left image_resized" style="width:14.33%;"><img src="/uploads/googleplay_58d9fe7304.svg"></figure>

Your visit to Cologne Cathedral

Pilgern ist ein uraltes Phänomen, dessen Ursprünge sogar auf Abraham, den Stammvater des Islams, Judentums und Christentums zurückgehen. Was macht Wallfahrten und Pilgerreisen für den modernen Menschen des 21. Jahrhunderts heute immer noch so interessant?&nbsp;Domkapitular Dr. Dominik Meiering hat dieser Frage in einem <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.domradio.de/artikel/was-macht-wallfahrten-seit-jahrtausenden-so-attraktiv">Interview auf DOMRADIO.DE</a> nachgespürt.&nbsp;

"Unser Glaube kann nicht nackt sein"

20. Dreikönigswallfahrt am Kölner Dom: „Wir haben seinen Stern aufgehen sehen“


Kölner Domkalender 2027 erschienen

Tag der offenen Tür am 12. September 2026: Dombauhütte, Baptisterium und Domgrabung


"Unser Glaube kann nicht nackt sein"

Die Dreikönigswallfahrt ist in vollem Gange - und der Kölner Dom wird noch sichtbarer als sonst zur Wallfahrtskirche. Denn Tausende zieht es aus diesem Anlass zu den Heiligen Drei Königen. Aber was macht eigentlich ihre Faszination aus?