Locks without keys

While crossing the bridge of Hohenzollern in Cologne, I was mystified by the many locks, mostly inscribed with names and dates, all along the bridge. My guess was that, instead of writing graffiti, pranksters turned to using locks to mark their presence on the bridge. Ah, well, my guess wasn’t that far off. According to online sources, it is a practice originated in Italy. Lovers use the locks as a symbol of their love and of hope that their love will bind them together forever. Nice .