§1 The Cathedral as the House of God
(1) The cathedral is a Catholic house of God. It is used for worship, personal prayer and contemplation. It is fundamentally open to all people. All visitors are required to behave in a manner befitting the dignity of the cathedral.
(2) Divine services and their preparation and follow-up always have priority. Visits are not possible during this time.

§2 Cathedral visitors
(1) Parents and other adult accompanying persons are obliged to exercise their duty of supervision when visiting with minors.
(2) All restricted areas of the Cathedral – in particular the chancel, the choir loft, the Hochmünster and the Sacrament Chapel (Hungary Chapel), which is only open for silent prayer – may not be visited. Exceptions apply to authorised persons and authorised guided tours.
(3) Mobile phones are to be set to “silent”. Telephoning in the cathedral is prohibited.
(4) Visitors should wear clothing appropriate to the dignity of the cathedral. Sleeveless shirts and low-cut clothing are inappropriate. Due to the religious tradition of the Catholic Church, men are not allowed to wear head coverings. Exceptions to this are head coverings required for health or religious reasons.
(5) Eating, drinking and smoking in the Cathedral is prohibited.
(6) Persons under the influence of intoxicants are not permitted to enter.
(7) The display of political opinions is prohibited in the cathedral and in the cathedral courtyard.
(8) No objects may be deposited or left unattended in the vestibule or in the Cathedral.
(9) Balloons with or without gas filling, bicycles, e-scooters, scooters, kickboards or the like may not be carried.

§3 Admission and opening hours
(1) Visits to the cathedral are free of charge, except for special events.
(2) A visit to the High Minster with the King’s Throne and the Choir Hall is only possible within the framework of a guided tour of the Cathedral for which a fee is charged.
(3) The opening hours of the cathedral are:
January – March 7:00 – 18:00,
April – December 7:00 – 19:00.
Deviations will be announced separately on a notice board.
The prices for guided tours of the cathedral are set by the cathedral chapter. They can be viewed at the ticket offices and at erleben.aachenerdom.de.
(4) In the event of overcrowding or for special reasons (extraordinary church services, concerts, etc.), the Cathedral may be completely or partially closed to visitors.

§4 Photography and filming
(1) Photography and filming for private purposes is only permitted in the Cathedral after obtaining a photography permit. Tripods, selfie sticks and flashes are not permitted.
(2) Photography and filming for commercial and scientific purposes as well as in the context of topical reporting requires written permission (info@aachenerdom.de). The same applies to sound recordings. The permit must be carried and shown on request.
(3) Sound recordings of church services as well as filming and photographing in church services are only permitted after prior approval by the cathedral chapter.

§5 Lost property
Should lost objects be found in the cathedral, it is requested that they be handed in to the cathedral supervisor (Domschweizer).

§6 Candles/Flowers
Only the candles laid out in the cathedral may be placed in the designated areas.
Flowers may not be placed without permission.

§7Distribution of literature
The display and distribution of writings requires the prior permission of the Cathedral Chapter.

§8 Animals
Animals may not be taken into the cathedral. Exceptions are made for guide dogs and assistance dogs.

§9 Church and state data protection
Parts of the cathedral are under video surveillance. The regulations of the Church Data Protection Order (KDO) apply.

§10 Guided tours of the cathedral
(1) Guided tours are only permitted to persons authorised by the Cathedral Chapter.
(2) Guided tours by radio-electronic transmission from outside the building or by means of audio guides brought along are prohibited.
(3) It is forbidden to sit on the bishop’s chair (cathedra), in the choir stalls, on the sedilia provided for liturgical service and on the royal throne.
(4) No objects may be placed on the altars, tables and mobile organs.
(5) If a participant in a guided tour is expelled from the cathedral, any tour fee already paid shall not be refunded.

§11 Cathedral supervision
The instructions of the supervisory staff must be followed. If the Cathedral Rules or the instructions of the supervisory staff are not followed, the person concerned shall be prohibited from further stay in the Cathedral.

§12 Final provision
These house rules were adopted by the Cathedral Chapter on 26 February 2020 and enter into force on
1 March 2020.

Rolf-Peter Cremer
Dean of the Cathedral