One of the cities I liked the most when I was travelling through Europe with Interrail was Cologne. This very nice city is clean and alive. And has a very young feeling to it. The first time I was there I loved it, and I want to tell you why, and why you should visit the love locks bridge in Cologne, Germany. Also known as the Hohenzollernbrücke or Hohenzollen Bridge.
After that first visit, I went there a couple of times a year for a while. And every time I went, I loved it more and more. The train station is literally underneath the Cathedral and right in the center of the city, so it’s very convenient to discover the city by foot from there. Next to the dom (or cathedral), there’s also a beautiful and romantic sight: the love locks bridge.
Like in many other European cities, this bridge is a copy of that famous one in Paris. But since this bridge is design to withstand dozens of trains a day, it can take a few more locks than the French counterpart. While in Paris they need to remove them every few months, in the Love locks bridge in Cologne, you can find locks that have been there for over a decade.
Where is Cologne?
Cologne is a city located in the west of Germany, near to the place where Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg merge. You can arrive to Cologne by train in barely three hours from Belgium. Also, using the Thalys (although it is quite expensive), in a little more than two hours you can arrive to this wonderful city from Paris.
Even though arriving to this city in the summer only to visit the Love Locks Bridge in Cologne may be a bit of an overkill, this town is a must during Christmas. In this other post I tell you a bit more information about the 7 Christmas markets of this city. So why not combine the visit of the markets with a visit to the Love Locks Bridge? If you decide to do this, check out the official website for the city to learn about other places to visit and things to do here.
The locks in Cologne
Like any other person that has visited Paris, I have walked through the love locks bridge. They say that if you put a lock in that bridge with your beau you will be together forever. That story went viral and now, every few months they have to remove all the locks in the bridge to prevent it from collapse. It is a small bridge and the number of locks is massive. So it checks out.
After traveling through Europe for many years, I have been seeing locks in many more bridges. In one of the small canals in Brugge. In a huge bridge in Venice. Or just hanging from any possible place facing a river. But nowhere in Europe it is possible to find a love locks bridge that equals Cologne.
Check out some beautiful pictures of the Christmas Markets in Cologne here – Photo-Gallery, Christmas in Cologne
All the trains that arrive to the city from the West do it passing through this huge iron bridge. The bridge itself is amazing, and ends right behind the Cathedral. Together with the Cathedral, they merge into the perfect composition for a great photography.
The day that I set foot in Cologne for the first time there had been a problem on the train tracks and we were stucked on the train for about an hour. After several weeks using the train as a transportation method in Germany… I knew what to expect. So, I took it easy. I went through my Lonely Planet and checked some places I wanted to visit. And then, out of boredom, I looked through the window and realized what was surrounding us. Locks. Hundreds. Thousands. So many locks.
All of them hanging from the separation between the walkway and the rail tracks. Of all sorts and types. Big, small, colourfull, rusty, from bikes, from diaries… Anything and everything you can imagine. There were even some people who put there some carabiners. Some of them were even diy versions of locks with pictures of weddings and holidays. The oldest one I found in love locks bridge in Cologne dated from almost 20 years back in time. And almos any locker you can think of, it was there.
Visit the Love Locks Bridge in Cologne
Wlaking from the train station (or the Cathedral) you don’t need to walk for more than ten minutes to get to the bridge. Once there, you can spend hours looking for special locks. Or just the oldest one.
Another additional perk when you visit the Love Locks Bridge in Cologne is also that from there you will find some amazing views of the Cathedral and the riverside. Definitely worth a visit!
Have you visited Cologne or another city with a similar love locks bridge somewhere else in Europe? Tell me all about it on the comments section!
I have read about the ones in Pairs but had no idea that this is a practice in other cities. The thought is nice and I ever visit these I am sure we will have to add ours as well. I love the picture of the statue but wish it was the other side.
I think that once you realize you start seeing them everywhere hehehe. I’ve seen them even in castles and barriers in the forest. People are very imaginative!
Paris is of course the most popular one! more and more i see these starting at any bridge in every country! Even in Machu Picchu I saw some! Thought behind is always cute!
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As long as they are not affecting the structural stability of the bridge it is fine, but here in Europe many governments have started to ban this practice because the bridges are not strong enough for holding such a big weight!
I thought Cologne was a really beautiful city, specially the towering Cathedral and the waterfront with the pretty houses. Would you believe we didn’t know about the locks bridge when we went? And now i see these pictures everywhere!
I guess that if you don’t travel by train there’s really no reason to go to that bridge and… discover the locks =). Anyway, now you have a reason to get back!
The thoughts of these locks are soo cute and romantic, but if these would cause more trouble in reality of life then better transfer it to more safer place for all. They also do this in most touristic cities worldwide, and recently in Seoul.
I guess that their weight can affect weaker bridges, but this one in Cologne was designed so that trains could pass… I don’t think the weight of some locks can afffect it anyhow!
yes, I agree–you start seeing these lock-filled-bridges everywhere. I was just in Slovenia and they have them in Ljubljana. I live in Washington, DC and there’s one bridge where locks are starting to appear. There are even anti-lock stories appearing now. One day, a big news story will appear about how one bridge full of admiring tourists collapsed because of the weight.
I have always wanted to visit Cologne. The architecture looks amazing. Also, I didn’t realize it had a lock collection. I saw the one in Paris and would love to see the one in Cologne as well.
There are lock-bridges everywhere now! But leaving that aside, Cologne is beautiful itself, you should go!
Wow! Your article was amazing and reminded me of Paris with the lock bridge, The locks are such a lovely tradition, though they can be detrimental to landscapes and buildings. I placed locks all over Europe and they created fond memories! Looks like I need to head to Cologne to place a lock too 🙂
Your love life has been documented all through Europe then! I guess that if you ever go back there you will always have the memory!
We have visited Cologne and have astonished by the profusion of the locks of all colors and shapes. The Cologne Cathedral looming over the station and the incredible bridge is certainly remarkable.
They all merge into a fantastic landscape!
I have heard a lot about the lock bridges and they have always facinated me. I would love to go there one day in person and add to the lock collection myself. 🙂
It’s a beautiful tradition. It can be romantic to go back to one of these locations and check for your lock
This is funny…I used to live in Cologne and study there. Walked over that bridge quite often and absolutly loved the view…actually the view out of the train is why I picked Cologne University 😀
Just fell in love!
Did you add a lock yet? There is a couple of fun stories about people who added up to 5 or more looks, everytime they got a new partner, they got a new lock 😉
Still quite romantic that place =)
It’s like having a radiography of your past love life in that bridge hahaha. And I haven’t add any yet, I guess that until I feel like something is definitive I won’t see the point. And I am not sure if I would do even like that. I’m not the most romantic one out there! Anyway, I love everything about Cologne, so I will be back…!
The padlocks on the bridge in Paris are amazing, and it’s lovely to see that Cologne has also followed the idea, such a lovely idea and great photos, Karen
Thank you very much for commening Karen. I guess it is very romantic!
Seems like a romantic place. I would really like to explore cologne. I have heard and read beautiful things about this place. Your pictures do complete justice.
The place is beautiful, specially in Christmas when multiple markets pop here and there. Imo, one of the best cities of Germany!
I too liked Cologne city of Germany. The Cathedral especially! Didn’t spot the love locks, glad got to see them in your post. I spent a lot of time clicking the interiors. Love your pics.
The interior of the Dom is magnificent. I understand how you could spend hours just taking pictures there, it’s definitely something special…!
We visited Cologne years ago and I loved the city very much. I haven’t seen the locks though but I did love the bridge with locks in Paris. Beautiful photos.
It’s a similar bridge but in a much higher scale!
I never knew that there was a lock bridge in Cologne the romantic in me loves it and this means someday when I travel there I will leave a lock. I only know about the famous Christmas Markets.
I guess now you have a reason to travel there!
Just today I was having a discussion about this place with a friend of mine. While it is a cool tradition and now super romantic for the world, it kind of is bad for the place and the bridge right? The weight, stress, rust – everything!
Well… I guess that if the bridge is small and old it may be detrimental, but in a bridge the size of this one and when it was designed to bear the weight of trains… I don’t think it will affect much!
I didn’t know about the locks in Cologne, just about the ones in Paris. I guess people hope for their love to be forever and that’s why in more and more cities you can find these locks. You were lucky to be stuck on the tracks and admire them.
At that point I was kind of used to get stuck in trains, the train network of Germany is a disaster, but yes, it gave a good idea about where to go back and see!
Nice! I just moved to Düsseldorf, right up the road from Köln! I actually put one of those locks on that bridge a few years back 🙂 Very cool!
I am sure I must have a picture of your lock then! And, yes, I guess that it is a nice tradition, you can always come back and look for that lock years later (in case you are still with the same partner =). HAven’t they started to set locks in Dusseldorf?
Well not the same partner, but I do have a new girlfriend so maybe we will just have to come put a new lock on the bridge! I am not sure if there are locks in Düsseldorf, though it would not surprise me if there are. I will have to go look around!
I’ve heard of these locks in Cologne from my German friends. As a place it is quite interesting to see those thousands of colorful locks on that bridge which in itself looks quite beautiful. I would not put a lock up there though 🙂
It is a very picturesque place indeed!
Thanks! yes, it is amazing how people are starting to colonize lock by lock any possible surface. People love to leave their mark!
hahaha I didn’t know about anti-lock stories, but there would be something poetically macabre if a bridge collapses because of tourists putting locks on !
I’ve never visited Cologne but city looks fascinating! What is the history of putting locks on that bridge?
I think it started in Paris in a bridge near Le Louvre. If I am correct it was a way to symbolize the union of two lovers!
That hand made heart shaped lock looks totally amazing! I have not seen these locks in Cologne, but we had plenty of them on the bridge of love in Kiev. They had to be removed because the bridge became too heavy and there was a risk it would fall down.
The same has been happening all around Europe! Thankfully this bridge was designed to hold the weight of the Trains comming from all around Europe so it is quite strong!