PLACE TO KEEP THE VOWS OF COUPLES
The pedestrian bridge is densely packed with locks. Locks of couples swearing their love for each other, though it may not be lasting.
The bridge over the Rhine River is designated for both trains and pedestrians, connecting Cologne with Bonn.The bridge is about 2.5 km long. It looks like the Trang Tien Bridge in Hue of Vietnam, but it’s entirely made of iron with a vaulted architecture, so the Hohenzollern Bridge appears heavy, not graceful, and it’s also hard to see the romance of love.
However, since the summer of 2008, this place has started to become famous due to an event: the display of love from over 300 couples.They hung “love locks” on the railings along both sides of the pedestrian walkway!
To add a touch of mystery, they attached a small sign that read: “This bridge was built by the love of a young man and a young woman.”
When we set foot here, both sides of the bridge were densely packed with locks of all kinds, colors, and sizes; old and new jostling together.Among them, the most prominent is a large brass-plated padlock with 14 smaller locks attached; each one has inscriptions on it, but they are not clearly readable. Surely this special lock must carry an equally special message. But surely only its owner knows; those who come here and glance through like us can hardly imagine anything at all.
Besides, there are also locks with added photos, usually hearts with the names of two people intertwined within them.In addition to the images, some locks are also engraved with the phrase: “Love is stronger than death” next to the couple’s names, written in English.
The colors of the locks are quite diverse: red, pink, yellow, blue, purple…Then there are the locks engraved with names or simply recording the vows and promises of couples.It seems that the keys are all taken out by their owners and thrown into the river.It is said that by doing so, love will be protected by the river god forever!
That is a beautiful scene. There are also many locks hanging on the bridge, but they are all old and rusty, looking as if they have been there for years, as if they are waiting for someone to come and unlock them.
Surely, lovers visiting Germany, as well as the locals, chose the Hohenzollern Bridge to hang their locks because they thought it was a romantic setting for their moments of ecstasy.
According to information from the Cologne introduction website, after that, the locks appeared more and more on the bridge’s railing, but their owners never returned.
When we got there, almost the entire length of both sides of the bridge was covered in locks. And then the locks keep appearing in other areas of the city!
Of course, no one has verified how enduring their love is. When in love, everyone vows forever, but whether they end up together, side by side for a lifetime is another story. I wonder how many of the countless couple locks here have kept their vows, and how many have “parted ways”?
No matter what, the locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge remain a beautiful symbol of romantic love.
Cologne belongs to the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and is the fourth largest city in Germany. This is one of the oldest cities in the country, formed during ancient Roman times, and it has been over 2,000 years old now.
In the past, the city was famous for its characteristic Gothic architecture from ancient times, exemplified by cathedrals, museums, and more.Nowadays, people often mention Cologne, seeing it as a romantic destination for couples, where they can attach their own love locks to the Hohenzollern Bridge.
Nowadays, it is also one of the most important cities in Europe with a population of 1.3 million and the famous Cologne Cathedral.The towers of this cathedral are among the tallest in the world. The cathedral was built from 1248 to… 1419.
This city is also famous for its beautiful historical center, with monuments, squares, palaces, and museums, along with churches and ancient mansions. Almost all of them have been restored after World War II.
