--- title: "Cologne Cathedral Tower Climb - The South Tower | Cologne Tourism" url: "https://www.cologne-tourism.com/arts-culture/sights/cologne-cathedral/tower-climb" description: "The climb to the south tower is well worth it. From the platform of Cologne Cathedral you have a wonderful view of the Rhine metropolis. Find out now!" language: "en" breadcrumb: "Root > Homepage > Arts & Culture > Sights > Cologne Cathedral > Tower climb" --- *Cologne Cathedral* Tower Climb =============================== 533 steps to the observation platform It’s 97 metres skyward without an elevator. You’ll need a certain amount of fitness and comfortable shoes, because you have to climb 533 steps. People go up on the right-hand side of the stairs and back down on the left-hand side. When you encounter descending visitors, it can get tight on the sometimes narrow, slippery steps. But after completing the popular climb up the tower, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view over the city centre of Cologne, the Rhine and, in good weather, the Siebengebirge. The climb starts at the separate access structure on the side of the . You’ll also find the box office there. *Almost halfway up: The* belfry ------------------------------- At a height of about 53 meters, you will pass St. Peter's Bell, which is the Cathedral’s Bell 1 and also called “decker Pitter” (fat Peter) by the people of Cologne. It’s time for a short break and a bit of history: This bell was cast in 1923 and with its 24,000 kilograms and 3.22 m diameter was until 2016 the largest bell in the world swinging on a straight yoke. The clapper alone weighs about 600 kg. St. Peter’s Bell rings only on special occasions and major holidays. ### *The* bells *of Cologne Cathedral* St. Peter's Bell \| Pretiosa \| Speciosa \| Bell of the Three Kings \| St. Ursula's bell \| St. Joseph's bell \| Chapter bell \| Ave bell \| Angelus bell \| Vespers bell \| Consecration bell \| Emperor's bell St. Peter’s Bell*, aka “*decke Pitter*”: The Cathedral’s Bell 1* ---------------------------------------------------------------- “Fat Peter” has had an eventful history. It was cast in 10 minutes, but the metal took weeks to cool — and it also took weeks to transport it up the tower. During World War II, it escaped being melted down after the City of Cologne cunningly claimed that “the bell would be needed to celebrate the final victory.” This argument actually worked. In the 1950s, St. Peter’s Bell got a crack, and in 2011 the clapper weighing several hundred kilos broke off. Fortunately, it didn’t crash all the way down into the Cathedral, but bounced on 8-inch-thick wooden floorboards. And so “fat Peter” with its powerful deep C still rings into the hearts of Cologne residents and visitors today. *How long it takes you to reach the Cologne Cathedral* observation *deck* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a total of 533 steps you finally reach the observation deck of the south tower. How long will it take you to get up there? It depends on your physical fitness. On the Internet, you will find a length of 5–7 minutes for trained people who do not take a break on the way up. Otherwise you should reckon with about 15 minutes including a break in the belfry. - Eye, One-Line Further information *on Cologne Cathedral* ------------------------------------------ - - - - FAQ --- - How tall are the two towers of Cologne Cathedral?The ’s publicly accessible South Tower is 157.22 metres tall. At 157.18 metres, the North Tower is only a tiny bit shorter than the southern one. - How high up is Cologne Cathedral’s viewing platform?The ’s visitor platform is at a height of approx. 97 metres. - How many steps are there in Cologne Cathedral’s South Tower?You have to climb 533 steps to reach the top of the South Tower.