Is This the End of the Love Lock Tradition?
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It's an end of an era in Paris. The city has decided to remove the thousands of padlocks attached to the Pont des Arts, installing lock-resistant plexiglass. A group of expats behind the No Love Locks campaign led the charge, accusing tourists of creating an eyesore and safety risk. Last year, the footbridge over the Seine river almost collapsed due to the love locks. When part of the railing collapsed, the bridge was evacuated and the section replaced with a wooden panel (soon covered in graffiti, as pictured). But what exactly are love locks?
Shrouded in superstition and romance, love padlocks, aka love locks, are a worldwide trend that have been spotted everywhere from Budapest to Paris to Seoul to Moscow. They even made an appearance in Parks and Recreation's 100th episode. Traditionally, the padlocks are affixed by a couple to symbolize their eternal love, but the origin is unknown.
What we do know is that in Rome, the padlocks on the Ponte Milvio bridge are attributed to Federico Moccia's book I Want You, and the padlock tradition in Serbia began with a legend dating back before WWI about a woman who died of a broken heart. Serbian girls would write down their names with their loved ones' on padlocks and affix them to the bridge where the infamous lovers used to meet, Most Ljubavi (the Bridge of Love). In Fengyuan, Taiwan, the locks are attached in pairs to an overpass in the city's train station and called "wish locks." The story goes that the trains generate a magnetic field that energizes the locks, granting the wishes. And according to a legend in Montevideo, Uruguay, there's a fountain where if you put a lock in it with the initials of two people in love, they will return to the fountain and be "locked in love" forever.
But love locks aren't without controversy. Despite Venice, Italy, being known for its romance, officials there have also been trying to crack down on the tradition. The city's administration is not feeling the love and is worried they'll cause damage to the buildings and bridges. One would think the ritual would be welcomed since they are less destructive than, say, graffiti or gum walls (have you seen those? Disgusting). Paris also stripped the locks on several bridges in 2010, and Florence removed 5,500 padlocks on the Ponte Vecchio bridge in 2006. But love perseveres, as usually it's only a matter of time before they return. Take an international trip with us now to see the locks of love!
People took photos of padlocks on the Pont des Arts in Paris.
Love locks in Lübeck, Germany, were covered in snow.
A couple locked down their love in Paris.
A bedazzled love lock hung from the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne, Germany.
A couple embraced by their love lock in Paris.
A love padlock was attached to NYC's Brooklyn Bridge.
A couple attached their love lock to the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne, Germany.
Love locks were attached to Pont des Arts in Paris.
People looked at the Liebesschloesser, or love padlocks, attached to a fence on Hohenzollernbruecke bridge in Cologne, Germany.
A couple got romantic next to the love-lock-covered Pont des Arts bridge.
Love padlocks covered the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris.
The Pont des Arts bridge was covered in love locks.
A huge love padlock made a statement on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris.
A pair of lovebirds kissed in Paris alongside love padlocks on the Pont des Arts bridge.
Padlocks at a bridge in Moscow, Russia.
Love locks have made it to Venice, Italy.
Locks of love on the top of Nam mountain in Seoul, South Korea.
Locks of love in Paris.
A couple embraced after affixing their lock to the bridge in Germany.
Locks of love on the Leopold Senghor bridge in Paris.
Love locks in Moscow, Russia.
Love locks in Pecs, south of Budapest, Hungary.
Love padlocks on the N Seoul Tower on the top of Nam mountain in Seoul, South Korea.
A woman threw away the key on a bridge in Paris.
A couple looked at the love locks on Hohenzollernbruecke bridge in Cologne, Germany.
Love locks were attached to a bridge in Paris.
Love padlocks were decorated and affixed to a bridge in Paris.
Love locks were attached to a wall on Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy.
People looked at the love locks on the Archeveche bridge in Paris.
Liebesschloesser, or love padlocks, were affixed to a fence on Hohenzollernbruecke bridge in Cologne, Germany.
Locks were lined up on the Leopold Senghor bridge in Paris.
Love locks on a bridge in Germany.
Love padlocks covered the Archeveche bridge in Paris.
Love locks were affixed to the Pont des Arts bridge in front of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
Love padlocks were clustered together on a railing on Ponte dell'Accademia in Venice, Italy.
A lone love lock in Paris.
Liebesschloesser (love padlocks) were attached to a fence at the Hohenzollernbruecke bridge in Cologne, Germany.
Love padlocks adorned a wall on Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy.
Locks covered the Bridge of Arts (Pont des Arts) in Paris.
A love lock hung on a bridge overlooking the Corinth canal near the town of Corinth, Greece.
Love padlocks were photographed in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk.