Hohenzollern Bridge, Germany

Collections are an illogical concept. One cannot help but experience a sense of surprise and awe while exploring a private area or a museum that is full of hundreds of interconnected artifacts painstakingly selected by one or more committed fans or specialists. Imagine how much more amazing it would be if the same collection had been created by thousands of unconnected people working together to create the same great work of art. Germany's Hohenzollern Bridge is a prime example of a similar magnificent work of art. Visitors from all over the globe hang painted, ornamented, or written padlocks from the German bridge's railings. Each lock is hung by a married couple.

Germany's city of Cologne has a bridge that spans the Rhine called the Hohenzollern Bridge. The bridge was once utilized for both rail and road traffic, but after World War II, only foot traffic and rail were allowed to use it. Franz Heinrich Schwechten created the Hohenzollern Bridge, which was built between 1907 and 1911. About 40,000 love locks have been placed on the bridge, and it is thought that 40,000 to 80,000 couples have done the same. Officials have gotten concerned because the padlocks have grown to be too hefty for the bridge. It's breathtaking to see the majestic row of padlocks hanging from the bridge. As a sign of their everlasting love, couples hang love locks. They then throw the key over the edge, where it lands in the sparkling Rhine. The river bed is now covered in tens of thousands of keys.

Location: Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne