This is the 4417th most frequent German word.
hielten
"Hielten" is the past tense of "halten," meaning "held" or "kept."
In this sentence, 'hielten' is the past tense form of 'halten', used to indicate stopping or pausing the motion, referring to the tourists stopping by the location.
Die Touristen hielten an der alten Ruine und machten Fotos.
The tourists stopped by the old ruins and took photos.
Here, 'hielten' is the past tense form of the verb 'halten', used in the sense of 'to consider' or 'to regard' something as necessary, expressing judgment or opinion.
Sie hielten es für notwendig, die Versammlung frühzeitig zu organisieren.
They considered it necessary to organize the meeting early.
In this example, 'hielten' is the past tense of 'festhalten', implying maintaining or adhering to traditions even amidst changes.