Hohenzollernbrücke

The Hohenzollernbrücke is a steel railway bridge that carries trains across the Rhine between Cologne's Hauptbahnhof, beside the Dom, and the Deutz bank in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The original structure dates from the early twentieth century and was destroyed in the final months of the Second World War, after which it was rebuilt and reopened in the post-war years. Today busy rail traffic runs on the central tracks, while separate pedestrian and cycle paths run along both sides, giving visitors a free walk of a few hundred metres over the river. The bridge is best known for the dense mass of love locks attached to its fence by couples, which has grown into a colourful metal curtain along the walkway. The main reason to cross is the view. Looking back west, the twin spires of Cologne Cathedral rise directly above the railway arches, and the Rhine promenade, the Altstadt skyline and the Great St. Martin church line the opposite bank. Photographers favour the Deutz side at dusk, when the Dom is floodlit and the trains cross the foreground, and the bridge itself makes a strong subject from the Rheinboulevard on the east bank. The crossing takes about 10 minutes each way, and most visitors spend 20-40 minutes with stops for photos. Walkways are shared between walkers and cyclists, so sightseers should keep to the pedestrian side and avoid stopping in the cycle lane. Crowds are heaviest on summer evenings and weekends, and the walkway is quietest early in the morning. The bridge is open at all times and is a natural link to the KölnTriangle Panorama and the Rheinboulevard on the Deutz side.