Most love-locks removed from a bridge

In June 2015, over one million love-locks were removed from the Pont des Arts footbridge, Paris. This was in response to the collapse of a section of the bridge’s mesh on 8 June 2014, under the weight of the romantically inscribed padlocks. Together with those removed from the neighbouring Pont de l’Archevêché, the love-locks weighed 45 tonnes.

Love-locks are padlocks inscribed with initials or names and locked onto bridges or other structures by members of the public. This gesture is usually a statement of romantic commitment or a celebration of love, the key being thrown into the water below. Since the mid-2000s, love-locks have been appearing on many of the world’s bridges. Although the custom existed earlier, its widespread popularity was sparked by Italian romance novel Ho voglia di te by Federico Moccia, released in 2006.

Responses to love-locks have been mixed. Some local authorities permit or even encourage the practice, while others categorise love-locks as vandalism. Concern for the structural integrity of bridges has led to the mass removal of love-locks in cities such as Melbourne, Munich, and Leeds. In some cases, efforts have been made to reunite the removed love-locks with the people who locked them.

In Paris, staff at Paris City Hall selected the more intact removed love-locks and divided them into 150 bunches. These bunches were then mounted on stands made from wood or recycled paving stone, and sold in auction on 13 May 2017 at the Crédit Municipal de Paris. The proceeds were earmarked for three migrant and refugee charities, the total amount raised reaching €250,000.