Hohenzollern Bridge

The Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne is the steel arch railroad bridge that frames the city's most famous view: the twin spires of Cologne Cathedral rising above the Rhine. It is one of the busiest railroad bridges in Germany, and its walkway is lined with hundreds of thousands of love locks. Walking across is free, takes only minutes from the main station, and is one of the essential things to do in Cologne.

A Bridge with an Imperial Name

A first railroad bridge, the Dombrücke, crossed the Rhine here from 1859. As rail traffic exploded, it was replaced between 1907 and 1911 by three parallel arch bridges. Emperor Wilhelm II opened the new crossing on May 22, 1911, and it was named after his ruling dynasty, the House of Hohenzollern.

On March 6, 1945, German army engineers blew up the bridge as US troops approached Cologne. Trains were running again by 1948, and reconstruction was completed in 1959, though the ornate portal towers never returned. A further section added on the north side in the 1980s brought the total to six tracks. The former road deck is gone; walkways and bike lanes took its place.

What to See

• The arches: Each of the three spans is about 409 meters (1,342 feet) long, with a central river arch of roughly 168 meters. Stand on the riverbank as an ICE high-speed train thunders across to feel the scale.
• Love locks: Since around 2008, couples have clipped padlocks engraved with their names to the fence between walkway and tracks, then tossed the key into the Rhine. Estimates run as high as half a million locks.
• Equestrian statues: Four Prussian kings and emperors on horseback guard the ramps at both ends of the bridge, including Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II.
• The postcard view: From the Deutz riverbank on the east side, bridge, cathedral and Old Town line up perfectly.

Visiting Tips

The crossing itself takes about 10 minutes on foot; allow 30 to 60 minutes with photo stops. As a public walkway it is open around the clock and free. Come at blue hour when the bridge and cathedral are lit. On sunny weekends the south walkway gets crowded and is shared with cyclists, so keep right. The city of Cologne is planning a new, wider pedestrian and bike bridge alongside the south side; no construction date had been confirmed as of October 2026.

How to Get There

The bridge connects Köln Hauptbahnhof (Cologne Central Station) on the west bank with Köln Messe/Deutz station on the east bank, so you can walk on straight from the train. Cologne Bonn Airport is roughly 15 minutes away by S-Bahn or regional train. Day trips from Frankfurt take a little over an hour on the ICE; the Deutschlandticket covers regional trains and S-Bahn. Driving into the center is not worth the hassle.

Is It Worth Visiting?

Absolutely, and it costs nothing. The bridge links several top sights within a short walk: Cologne Cathedral and the Museum Ludwig sit right at the western end, while the KölnTriangle observation deck at the Deutz end offers a high-level view back across the river. Head a few minutes south along the Rhine to reach Great St. Martin Church and the Alter Markt square with its traditional brewpubs.