South Tower (Cologne Cathedral): Climb to the viewing platform
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South Tower (Cologne Cathedral). Overview
The south tower of the Cologne Cathedral (UNESCO world heritage site) can be visited: a spiral staircase leads to the bell room and on to the viewing platform:
- The second heaviest bell in the world hangs in the bell room. There is no lift.
- After 533 steps in the narrow spiral staircase, you reach the viewing platform below the stone spire. From the viewing platform you have a wide view of Cologne, but no panoramic view.
Inhalt / Content
- 1 South Tower (Cologne Cathedral). Overview
- 2 Cologne Cathedral map
- 3 History of the South Tower
- 4 Bell room
- 5 View from Cologne Cathedral
- 6 Tower helmets of Cologne Cathedral
- 7 Visit the South Tower of Cologne Cathedral
- 8 South Tower as part of the World Heritage Site "Lower Germanic Limes"
- 9 Cologne Cathedral & KölnTriangle
- 10 Cologne Old Town Tour
- 11 Related UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Cologne Cathedral map
History of the South Tower
South Tower in the Middle Ages
In 1248, the foundation stone for Cologne Cathedral was laid. It was not until over 100 years later, around 1360, that construction work on the south tower began. In 1560, construction work on Cologne Cathedral was discontinued. After more than 300 years of construction, however, the cathedral was far from finished (see picture): The south tower was only a 56 m high tower stump, surmounted by the medieval construction crane. In the case of the north tower, only five meters beyond the foundation have been reached. Only the choir in the east was finished. Until the 19th century, Cologne Cathedral remained a ruin.
The south tower from the 19th century
Before 1880
In 1842, a second foundation stone was laid, this time for further construction. The foundation stone is not in the foundation, but was walled in the south tower. In 1863 the nave was completed and in 1880 the towers.
After 1880
With a height of over 157 m, Cologne Cathedral was the tallest building in the world when it was completed. At 157.22 m, the south tower is four centimetres higher than the north tower (157.18 m). The crossing tower is 109.12 m high.
- In 1890, Cologne Cathedral was displaced by Ulm Cathedral to second place among the world’s tallest churches, whose tower is 161.53 m high.
- Since 1988, Cologne’s South Tower has slipped to third place among the tallest church towers. The lantern of the church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix in Yamoussoukro (capital of the Ivory Coast), a copy of St. St. Peter’s Basilica, is 158.1 m high.
Since 2009: New entrance around the South Tower
Since 2009, access to the viewing platform has been through the foundation of the South Tower. For this purpose, a tunnel was drilled through the foundation, which is over eleven meters thick (architect: Kaspar Kraemer).
Bell room
On the way to the viewing platform, you will pass the bell room. It is divided into a southern, middle and northern compartment. A total of eight bells hang there.
- The two oldest bells hang in the northern compartment: the Pretiosa („The Precious“, cast 1448, 10.5 t) and the Speciosa („The Special“, 1449, 5.6 t), which weighs half as much.
- In the middle compartment hangs the St. Peter’s bell, known in Cologne as the „fat Pitter“. Until 2016, it was the largest free-swinging bell in the world. It weighs 24 t and was cast in Apolda in 1923. Since there was inflation in Germany at the time, the bell founder Heinrich Ullrich had himself paid out in US dollars. (He received 5000 dollars.) The predecessor of the St. Peter’s bell, the Kaiserglocke (1875), was even heavier at 27 t. In 2011, the 800 kg clapper broke and was replaced by a new clapper that weighs only 600 kg.
- In the southern compartment hang five bells that were cast between 1862 and 1911. The smallest, the Aveg bell, weighs 780 kg, which is less than the old clapper of the St. Peter’s bell.
Three small bells hang in the crossing tower (Angelus and Transformation Bell (both 14th century), Mettglocke (1719)). They form the oldest completely preserved peal in Europe. Inside the cathedral hang two bells of the cathedral clock.
Advance registration is required to participate in a two-hour bell tour (information: https://www.domfuehrungen-koeln.de/sonderfuehrungen/glocken).
View from Cologne Cathedral
From the viewing platform you have a beautiful view of Cologne and the surrounding area in good weather. On a clear day, you can see as far as the Siebengebirge near Bonn. There, at the Drachenfelsen (Dragon rocks), was the trachyte quarry for the Cologne Cathedral. On the Rhine, the stones were transported comfortably to the construction site. However, you don’t have a panoramic view, as the north tower blocks the view in the north. To the south, west and east, the view is only possible through the openings of the windows.
Tower helmets of Cologne Cathedral
The spires of Cologne Cathedral and Regensburg Cathedral (Bavaria, South Germany) resemble each other. Regensburg Cathedral was not completed in the Middle Ages – the two towers were still missing. The construction work lasted from 1859 to 1869. The towers were thus completed before those of Cologne Cathedral. Regensburg Cathedral is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site „Old Town of Regensburg and Stadtamhof“.
Visit the South Tower of Cologne Cathedral
Opening hours South Tower
| Month | Day | Time |
| January – February | daily | 09:00 – 16:00 |
| March – October | daily | 09:00 – 18:00 |
| November – December | daily | 09:00 – 16:00 |
- Last admission to the South Tower 30 minutes before closing.
- Closed: 01 January, Weiberfastnacht, Carnival Saturday and Carnival Sunday, Shrove Monday, 24, 25, 31 December.
- The bell room in the south tower is only open from 2:00 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays.
As of 2025
Tickets South Tower
| adults | 8,00 € |
| reduced (people with disabilities (with ID)) | 4,00 € |
| Pupils, students | 4,00 € |
| Family ticket | 20,00 € |
| Combined ticket Treasury / Tower Climb | 12,00 € |
| Combined ticket Treasury / Tower Climb reduced | 6,00 € |
| Combined Family ticket Treasury / Tower Climb | 30,00 € |
As of 2025
South Tower: FAQ
- How high is the south tower of Cologne Cathedral? 157.20 m.
- How high is the viewing platform? It is located at a height of 97.25 m.
- Is there a lift in Cologne’s South Tower? No, you have to climb stairs to the viewing platform.
- How many steps does the south tower of Cologne Cathedral have? There were originally 509 steps from the ground floor to the viewing platform of the South Tower. Since 2009, access to the south tower is no longer from inside the cathedral, but from the outside in the tower foundation. Since then, there have been 533 steps to the viewing platform.
- Does the South Tower cost admission? Yes, the entrance fees are above.
- When does the south tower of Cologne Cathedral close? The south tower closes at 6 p.m. (March to October) and 4 p.m. (November to February).
- When is the last admission to the South Tower? 30 minutes before closing.
- How thick is the foundation under the South Tower? At the thickest point (where the tunnel was drilled), it is 11.5 m.
- Is there a toilet or a restaurant on the viewing platform? No. A toilet is located in the entrance area of the tower.
- Is climbing the tower suitable for children? The spiral staircase is narrow, ascending and descending share the stairs. If the way to the viewing platform is too strenuous, you can take a breather in the bell room.
- Are there alternatives for people with disabilities or for children? Yes: On the other side of the Rhine is the „KölnTriangle“ office tower. A lift leads to the viewing platform.
Walking tours in and around Cologne Cathedral
- Interior tour: The tour of Cologne Cathedral (German) leads to the treasures inside the large church.
- Exterior tour: The short walk around Cologne Cathedral (German) leads to sights that surround the cathedral.
South Tower as part of the World Heritage Site "Lower Germanic Limes"
Cologne in Roman times
The south tower is even part of a second UNESCO World Heritage Site: The area within the Roman city walls of the Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Lower Germanic Limes, which consists of several sites along the Rhine (including Neuss, Xanten). The cathedral including the south tower is located in the northeast corner of the former Roman settlement (see „Erste Bischofskirche“ (First Episcopal Church) in the reconstruction drawing). This area forms the buffer zone around the remains of the praetorium (arrow), which lie in the core zone. The praetorium served as the seat of government of the province. An ascent to the south tower can therefore be supplemented by a descent to the foundations of the praetorium, which are exposed under the town hall. Website: https://www.museenkoeln.de/archaeologische-zone/?s=2979
Cologne Cathedral & KölnTriangle
On the opposite side of the Rhine, the KölnTriangle (CologneTriangle) high-rise building was built in 2004–06 (architects: Dörte Gatermann; Elmar Schossig). With a height of 103.2 m, it is one of the 100 tallest high-rise buildings in Germany. The construction of the Cologne Triangle near the cathedral was the reason for UNESCO to put Cologne Cathedral on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger in 2004 – due to the „endangerment of the ‚visual integrity‘ of the cathedral and the unique Cologne city skyline by planned high-rise buildings on the opposite side of the Rhine in Cologne-Deutz from the cathedral.“ (p. 96; Source: https://www.unesco.de/sites/default/files/2018-06/Welterbe-Manual_2__Aufl_volltext.pdf) The plans were changed and in July 2006 UNESCO removed Cologne Cathedral from the Red List.
The viewing platform in the KölnTriangle high-rise is an alternative to climbing the tower in the south tower of Cologne Cathedral. You can easily reach the viewing platform at a height of about 100 m by lift. From there you have a good panoramic view – in contrast to the south tower. Admission is subject to a fee; Dogs are not allowed. Website: https://www.koelntrianglepanorama.de/
Cologne Old Town Tour
The sights in Cologne’s old town can be discovered on a guided city tour:
Cologne: Guided Highlights Tour with a Local
- Price: from €14.00/person
- Duration: 1,5 h
- Meeting point: The stone finial in front of Cologne Cathedral
- Tour provider: KölnTourismus
* commercial link to Getyourguide
Cologne: Private Walking Tour of City Center
- Price: from 169,00 €/group (max. 9 persons)
- Duration: 2 h
- Meeting point: The stone finial in front of Cologne Cathedral
- Tour provider: LYN Tours
* commercial link to Getyourguide
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Related UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Cologne Cathedral, Lower Germanic Limes and thus also the South Tower are part of the
- UNESCO World Heritage Site in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site in Germany
- UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in Germany
- UNESCO World Heritage in Europe