Hohenzollernbrücke (Love Locks Bridge)

The Hohenzollernbrücke is the railway bridge crossing the Rhine directly beside the cathedral, and with its pedestrian walkways it is one of the best viewpoints in the city. Walking across it gives you the classic view: the twin spires of the Dom rising above the left bank, the river wide and grey below, and on the far side the triangular Cologne Triangle tower offering a different angle on the skyline.

The bridge dates from 1911 and carries more trains daily than almost any other rail bridge in Germany — around 1,200. The padlock tradition has turned the pedestrian rails into a wall of metal that rattles quietly in the wind. Beyond the novelty, the walk takes about ten minutes and costs nothing. The right-bank end of the bridge deposits you near the Cologne Triangle, which has an observation deck with arguably the best view of the cathedral from across the Rhine.

things to do sight
A story
The bridge's railings carry hundreds of thousands of padlocks — the famous "love locks" — attached by couples who then throw the key into the Rhine. The tradition began in Cologne around 2008 and has spread to bridges across the world, but the Hohenzollernbrücke remains one of the densest concentrations. The locks now weigh an estimated 40 tonnes. The city periodically debates removing them; the debate never quite concludes.