Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Love Padlocks

Love padlocks, LivornoLocal sweethearts chain their love padlocks around a lamp post on the “lungomare”, a tradition revived a few years ago by the movie “Ho voglia di te” (I Want You).
In the movie, which is set in Rome, the two lovers use a lamp post on the Ponte Milvio (Wikipedia image).
In time they got so many imitators that at least a couple of lamp posts crumbled under the weight of chains and padlocks.

See also: “In Rome, a New Ritual on an Old Bridge” (The New York Times) - Rust Never Sleeps

25 comments:

Copenhagen said...

I think it's quite sweet. All movies set in Italy are romantic.

cieldequimper said...

Rusty romance!

joo said...

It's a nice custom, I saw somthing similar in Riga, but it wasn't lamp they use but cast-iron balustrade of the little bridge.

Tash said...

Fascinating, I've never heard of "locking up love" :) - makes a lot of sense in a time where marking trees and writing on walls is not appropriate. I like the Comune di Livorno imprint - well done.

In your NYT link I found this photo of locks for sale< - fun photo of a business-minded spirit.

Tash said...

try one more time:Locks for sale

stromsjo said...

It's fascinating when a contemporary phenomenon such as a movie can reignite an old tradition.

Fio said...

:-)

VP said...

@ Ciel - Salt-laden sea air takes its toll...
@ Tash - A couple of years ago, in Rome, less honest souls harvested locks and chains selling them as scrap iron. Carabinieri recovered everything.

Baruch said...

How romantic is that?!

Laurent said...

I had heard of this padlocks "love" but never seen it actually. Thanks for showing it on a nicely framed picture

B SQUARED said...

Such a great tradition. Do they keep an extra key, just in case?

nobu said...

Interesting post.

Hilda said...

Interesting. I've never heard of this custom before. I hope the sweethearts don't destroy too many lamp posts!

Lowell said...

Ciel's comment is so funny!

But this is just plain funny for sure. I'd never heard of the tradition.

What a great picture!

Nancy said...

Amazing! This is a great photo - I must research this. Are there many of these around town?

-Nancy

henny said...

Hahaha at B Squared :).
I saw about Locks of Love, too, last year in Osaka. You can buy the lock for less than 1000Yen, I guess. Quite cheap for locking love. They were kept on the top floor of Sky Building.
Hi, VP, very different photo with those you showed us before.

Saretta said...

I've seen this on the bridges in Merano.

crocrodyl said...

Very romantic:) I see something similar in Riga. But I am wondering why padlocks?

Ayie said...

too much padlocks!

slim said...

Interesting story and such a variety of locks as there is people who lock them. I hope they rust off before the beautiful lamppost falls over.

Unknown said...

A very nice tradition, but it seems a bit harsh on the lamppost :-)

Stefan Jansson said...

Cool tradition. I will have to check out that movie.

Dagrun said...

Oh, cool! Love your pictures (in general I mean ;)

Frank said...

I love your padlocks photo. There is a sculpture/artist's installation here in Tampa, Flroida that is covered in individual keys. I'll have to look closer at it. Perhaps I've found all the keys to your locks.

Halcyon said...

I have never heard of this tradition. Funny!