Trains rumbled over the bridge and thousands of padlocks vibrated in unison as I walked across the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne, Germany looking at messages of love. I began to see row after row of various shaped and sized padlocks permanently attached to a fence separating the foot path from the fast moving trains.
A vast array of colored locks with hand written names announced to others, their love would last forever. Locks using a single key had engraved names and dates of marriages and big clunky pad locks wrapped around a chain seriously told a love story. The placing of the locks on the fencing began a few years ago and it’s still a mystery why or who started the new tradition. But, ever since, the locks have multiplied in abundance on this massive scenic bridge.
Where are the keys to these hundreds of locks? Ceremoniously, the keys are thrown over the bridge into the Rhine River never to be used again. Locals say it is easier to get a divorce than find the key in the cold and deep river. The bridge is a railway bridge with trains going by every few minutes. The roar of the trains and speed of passing locomotives rattle the locks to a chattering hum as the search continues for the most unusual lock with a love story.
Gusting winds blew through the path with walkers and bicyclists dodging around tourists trying to find a date or name with meaning. The openly designed bridge provides a breath taking view and connects one side of Cologne to the old town where the famous Cathedral is within a bird’s eye view. Quite a debate has arisen about the weight of the bridge from all the metal locks and how much longer locks can safely stay in place. But the allure and mystery of love endures timelessly and romance is locked up above the Rhine river.
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