Padlocks have become a lovers’ ritual as trivial as the coins thrown into the Trevi Fountain and it all started on Ponte Milvio bridge in Rome.
The ritual has been inspired by bestseller romantic novels such as ‘Tre metri sopra il cielo’ and ‘Ho voglia di te’, in which young lovers rush to close padlocks to the Italian cities bridge.
Young lovers write their names on a padlock and lock it to a lamppost on Ponte Milvio in Rome (which was known as a lovers’ hangout in Roman times, and where St. Valentine died). then they throw the key into the river Tiber, as a symbol of unbreakable love.
Now it is trendy, that Italian and international couples in Rome write their names on a padlock, lock it to bridge and throw keys in the river, swearing eternal love.
This trend spread throughout Italy (Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Venice’s Ponte Rialto). Nevertheless, these locks can damage public monuments and their stone.
In 2007, the lamppost on Ponte Milvio collapsed under the weight of padlocks, and the municipality was forced to cut them. To prevent damage to national heritage, the municipality decided to erect special chains for the lovelocks on Ponte Milvio and on one of Verona bridges.
Padlocks of love have become a tourist attraction and a ritual as the coins thrown into the Trevi Fountain, but there are new safer and legal places to lock your love.
Be creative, but please respect the National Heritage!
Do you want receive other Italian curiosities or news? Subscribe to our newsletter.