Bielefeld City Management with Heart: The Kissing Stop as a Catalyst for Downtown

Bielefeld City Management with Heart

Light, humor, and heart – with temporary Kissing Stops, Bielefeld’s City Management turned the downtown area into a meeting point for emotional moments of joy.

Two illuminated giant hearts at Alten Markt/Obernstraße and Bahnhofstraße invited passers-by to spontaneous kisses until early November – with partners, friends, or family. “Please kiss here!” floor stickers charmingly guided locals and visitors to the spot.

“It wasn’t just about romantic kisses, but about the feeling of joy, closeness, and togetherness,” explains City Manager Birgit Schroers. “With such actions, we create emotional touchpoints. People experience their city positively – and that strengthens their connection to it.”

Creative Impulses for Vibrant City Centers

Supported by the federal program ‘Future-Proof Inner Cities and Centers,’ the initiative by Bielefeld Marketing GmbH impressively demonstrated how creative impulses attract visitors, increase dwell time, and make the city center a lively place to experience.

The implementation was carried out by MK Illumination, the world market leader for festive decorative lighting from Tyrol.

Charly König from MK Illumination is enthusiastic about the idea: “Such motifs have a strong emotional impact and are real eye-catchers. They work perfectly as photo points, draw attention, and create positive memories – without much effort. Even during the day, when the lights are off, they have an effect and invite people to linger and share. This makes them a simple yet effective tool for making city centers more vibrant.”

The Result

The City Management called on all Bielefeld residents to share their best pictures and videos around the Kissing Stop – a vivid proof of how creative ideas strengthen both the city center and the community.