gerhard richter cologne cathedral admission fee
Cologne Cathedral, Germany’s most-visited landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has announced it will begin charging tourists an admission fee starting this fall. The decision comes as the institution faces rising operating costs and depleted financial reserves following the pandemic, despite its recent surge in popularity on platforms like TikTok.
A rare collection of seven unique Picasso ceramics, hand-painted between 1947 and 1964 at the Madoura Pottery Workshop in Vallauris, France, will be auctioned at Piguet in Geneva on Thursday. The pieces, including plates and platters featuring animals and motifs from Picasso's oeuvre, have been in private hands for nearly 40 years after being gifted from the Picasso estate to a friend in the 1980s. Estimates range from 20,000 to 50,000 Swiss francs, with a pigeon platter expected to fetch the highest price. Two additional works on paper by Picasso from the same owner are also included in the sale.
Germany's Stuttgart Higher Regional Court ruled that Ravensburger, a German toy manufacturer, can continue using Leonardo da Vinci's *Vitruvian Man* (c. 1490) in its puzzles, dismissing a claim by Italy's Culture Ministry and the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia. The Italian plaintiffs had sought a licensing agreement under a domestic cultural heritage law, arguing that commercial use of the image required their authorization, even outside Italy. The ruling reverses a 2022 Venice court decision that had ordered Ravensburger to stop production. The Italian parties may appeal to the German Federal Court of Justice.
The former owners of The Art Newspaper and L’Officiel are embroiled in legal disputes with the Hong Kong-based AMTD Group, alleging they have not received full payment for the sale of their publications. Russian publisher Inna Bazhenova, who sold The Art Newspaper for an estimated $16–17 million, and the Jalou family, former owners of L’Officiel, claim that AMTD owes significant buyout funds despite the media brands being used to anchor high-profile IPOs on the New York and London stock exchanges. Bazhenova specifically alleges that shares provided as part of the payment have been 'parked and frozen' by a brokerage linked to AMTD, preventing her from accessing her capital.
A 30-year-old domestic tourist identified only by his surname Sun broke into the Terracotta Army Museum in Xi'an, China, on Friday, May 30. He scaled a fence and protective net surrounding an 18-foot pit, then pushed and pulled two of the ancient clay warriors, damaging them to varying degrees before being detained by security. Officials later stated that the man suffers from mental illness, and the incident is under investigation. The museum remains open to the public.
A 30-year-old Chinese tourist damaged two ancient terracotta warriors at the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang in Xi’an, China, on Friday. According to local officials, the man climbed over guardrails and a protective net, jumped more than 15 feet into Pit No. 3, and pushed and pulled the clay figures, causing varying degrees of damage before being restrained by security. Authorities suspect the man suffers from mental illness, and the case remains under investigation. The site reopened the following day.