Until now, entry to the plaza at a height of 37 meters was free – visitors only needed to obtain a complimentary ticket. From October 5, however, a fee of five euros will be charged, with a reduced rate of three euros, as a spokesman for the culture authority told dpa. The plaza is one of Hamburg’s most visited landmarks: last year, more than 2.2 million people came, with up to 17,000 visitors per day.
The introduction of entry fees is part of the Senate’s draft budget, which is to be finally approved by the city parliament in December. A government spokesman had previously emphasized that an entry fee was actually planned from the beginning. The plaza opened at the end of 2016 – then-mayor Olaf Scholz (SPD) promised at the time: “The plaza is a public place, freely accessible to every man and woman.”
The Elbphilharmonie itself was completed with significant delays and cost overruns: instead of the planned 77 million euros, total costs ultimately amounted to around 789 million euros. Other German landmarks are also now charging entry fees: Cologne Cathedral has been charging tourists twelve euros for interior visits since July, while church services remain free.
Source: www.faz.net
