"If only the well-off can afford to go into a church, I think that's socially unjust. There must also be non-commercial spaces. People shouldn't have to pay for everything—least of all for visiting a church."
"Inflation and high staffing costs for 170 employees have driven up the price of the upkeep of the building, the cathedral's management said. Meanwhile, cash reserves used to plug financing gaps in recent years have largely dried up, in part because fee-paying visits to the cathedral's 157-metre towers and treasure chamber were halted for long periods during the Covid-19 pandemic."
"The maintenance of the cathedral costs 16m per year while income only reached just under 14m. Church officials have made savings, such as reducing staff by attrition, but the numbers are still not adding up."
Cologne Cathedral, the world's tallest twin-spired church and major German tourist attraction, announced plans to introduce admission fees of 12-15 euros beginning July to address financial sustainability. Cathedral management cited inflation, high staffing costs for 170 employees, and depleted cash reserves as necessitating new revenue streams. Annual maintenance costs reach 16 million euros while income falls short at just under 14 million euros. Critics, including architect Barbara Schock-Werner who led conservation efforts, argue the proposed fees are socially unjust and prohibitively expensive for local residents. She contends that churches should remain non-commercial spaces accessible to all, regardless of income. Worshippers would be exempt from charges. The cathedral's revenue was further strained by pandemic-related closures of paid tower and treasure chamber visits.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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