Cologne's iconic cathedral will begin charging visitors an entrance fee starting from the second half of this year, its chapter announced on Thursday.

In a press conference, the cathedral chapter said the fee is meant to cover the increasing cost of operating, maintaining and securing the facility.

Entrance to the cathedral will remain free of charge for churchgoers, worshippers and members of the Central Cathedral Building Association.

Why is the Cologne Cathedral so famous?

The 157-meter (515-foot) cathedral has towered over Germany's western city of Cologne for centuries.

Built starting 1248, the Gothic cathedral's construction was not finalized until 1880. It is among the few buildings in Cologne that survived World War II.

Today, it is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts some 6.6 million visitors annually.

Provost Guido Assmann said that tourists make up about 99% of the cathedral's visitors. Exactly how much they will have to pay to gain access to this iconic structure has yet to be announced.

The cathedral chapter explained the decision to begin charging visitors, saying the cathedral has experienced six consecutive years of losses since 2019.

"We have reached a point where the reserves of Cologne Cathedral will be depleted in the foreseeable future," Cathedral Administrator Clemens van de Ven said.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery