TRAFFIC LIGHTS
VIENNA
AUSTRIA
When it is red, we stop. When it is green, we go! Originally created for the railroads, traffic lights were not always red, amber and green. In fact, there was no green at all. There was white! But it was after a few incidents that white traffic lights were officially replaced by green lights.
Traffic lights; we all recognise them, even from a very early age. Most of the time we take them for granted but without them our daily life would be a little mess. Maybe that’s what the city of Vienna thought back in 2015 and decided to transform them into one of the city’s symbols. Today, it is almost impossible to walk around Vienna without noticing these pretty little red and green figures that by now have become part and parcel of the city. They are an ode to diversity and human rights since they were designed to make a statement about sexuality and equality.
So, if you are spending a weekend in Vienna, keep an eye out for these tiny colourful figures. Not only they will make you smile every time you are about to cross the street, but they will also remind you how a simple thing like holding the hand of someone you love can make you feel a bit happier. Maybe they are an ode to love after all!