Lovelocks
After a recent visit to London’s Tate Modern art gallery, I took the walk across the Millennium Bridge towards St Paul’s Cathedral.
It wasn’t the views across the Thames or swarms of tourists that caught my eye, but a number of little metal objects dangling from the cables of the bridge.
Padlocks. Locked up and left to their fate, many of them carrying messages of love and probably youthful union. Lovelocks.
I haven’t seen them in London before, although in other places around the world they’re commonplace. The Pont des Arts in Paris is groaning under the weight of thousands of locks, prompting a campaign to ban the practice.
There are just a handful on this bridge, little tokens of unbreakable relationships which are probably forgotten soon after they’ve been fixed to the spot.
Vandalism or litter they might be, but small human moments that are a pleasure to capture.
Click first image to launch the gallery
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- Te iubesc: Romanian for I love you
mikeosbornphoto 
Very interesting. I thought the idea of ‘love locks’ was kinda cute when I saw your photos. But after clicking on the “Groaning Under the Weight” link and reading the article (and more so, SEEING the before and after photos in Paris) I absolutely view it as litter. Though sentimental value it may in fact hold, I hate that it has tainted the beautiful view from the Pont des Arts! Just my opinion. ;) Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you Marcia! Yes, the odd one here and there is quite sweet, but a deluge is a form of trash. Though anything is better than trees being scratched with names.
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I’m not sure if I’m surprised or not at how few of these ‘sites’ there are in the UK – I’m sure it says something about us :) It’s a touching thing to see but it does appear to be a bit too much on the Pont des Arts! I wonder also how the extra weight (a few more padlocks required!) might affect the bridge handling – will we get back to the swinging bridge?!
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Ha! I should hope not. Apparently there are a few more dotted around London, but nothing on a mass scale. It has to be better than names scratched indelibly on surfaces – very ugly.
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Very true – a far more romantic and aesthetic way of expressing your love. I wonder how many last as long as the padlocks?! :O
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Hahaha! It seems to be an expression of teen love in many cases, so I suspect the locks remain there long after the romance has moved on!
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A really lovely thing to see, and I’m glad they’ve made it to the UK. :)
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I’m sure it’s not the only place, they just caught my eye. So long as it doesn’t get out of hand…
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How interesting – on the bridge over the Seine leading to the Louvre there are hundreds of these – maybe you have seen them.
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Is that the Pont des Arts? There’s a link to a story about that in the post. There’s not even room to put any more! There are only a handful on the Millennium Bridge. Either they’re regularly removed or it’s relatively new.
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Thank you – I am not god at reading all the words – mostly enjoy the photos
Not sure of the name of the bridge in France
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Not a problem, Diana :) The words are supporting players to the images.
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