What taxes will tourists pay to visit the Cologne Cathedral and how does the community react?

The Cologne Cathedral, the tallest church with two towers in the world, will impose an access fee for tourists, causing discontent among locals and heritage organizations. Church authorities argue that the fee, ranging between 12 and 15 euros, is necessary to cover the high costs of maintenance and security, considering that the cathedral attracts approximately six million visitors annually. Parishioners will be exempt from the fee, but architect Barbara Schock-Werner criticized the decision, deeming it socially unjust. The cathedral is facing a structural financial deficit, and maintenance costs exceed revenues, leading to the depletion of financial reserves. Although tourists make up 99% of visitors, those attending services will be able to enter without paying the fee.