Salzburg embraces gay traffic lights

Instead of the usual stick man, the special lights at pedestrian crossings show two figures – either a man or a woman, two men or two women, holding hands, together with a little heart symbol.

Salzburg in western Austria, best known abroad for the Sound of Music film and for being Mozart's birthplace, is “an open and tolerant city,” centre-left mayor Heinz Schaden said.

Vienna's lights were only meant to be in place for Eurovision and for HIV/AIDS charity event the Life Ball in May but they proved so popular that authorities decided to keep them in place. Now you can even get t-shirts featuring the design.

The capital has the copyright on the design but Salzburg – where so far just three traffic lights have been outfitted – was allowed to use it free of charge.