In northern Germany’s Dodau Forest, the Bridegroom’s Oak continues to foster love stories. Situated near Eutin, this oak, known as “Bräutigamseiche” in German, has served as a unique mailbox since 1892. It even boasts its own postal code, being 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Berlin.

The tree facilitates romantic connections with its special knothole. Every month, German postal service workers deliver 50 to 60 letters to this arboreal mailbox. To deposit letters, they climb a ladder up to 3 meters (10 feet) high on the tree, which stands 25 meters (82 feet) tall and over 500 years old.

Visitors to the oak can browse through letters from around the world and decide if they wish to connect with any authors. These exchanges have sparked some marriages, according to the German postal service.

The oak’s history of matchmaking began when it served as a communication point for the forester’s daughter and a chocolate manufacturer from Leipzig. Despite initial opposition, they left love letters in the tree’s knothole. They eventually married in 1892, with her father’s consent, under the very oak that witnessed their courtship.

Send your own love letter to:
Bräutigamseiche, Dodauer Forst, 23701 Eutin, Germany.