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or lucchetti d'amore Loving locks...
[Jasmine Nogo]
Most locals seem to know what we’re talking about when we ask about the locks hung on the bridges, namely the Ponte Vecchio, but few can tell you the history and tradition behind this peculiar custom. Contrary to what most believe, the so-called lucchetti d’amore are not related to the origins of this practice. Michele Santini, Florentine born-and-bred, explained their origins to me and they have nothing to do with love. He explained that the tradition began when young men had to leave their home towns to do military service. They attached a lock to one of the bridges before their departure as a promise to return home, essentially a promise to survive the war.
The padlocks originated in Rome where, on the Ponte Milvio, they are even more ubiquitous than on the Ponte Vecchio. Built in the year 109 on a key route into Rome, the Ponte Milvio was the site of fierce battles in ancient times.
The act of attaching a lock to a bridge obviously symbolizes the unbreakable bonds of true love. Additional symbolism is found in the fact that they are attached to bridges, symbolically uniting two sides, and the keys thrown into the river. The fact that the tradition originated in Rome, the eternal city, further contributes to its romantic symbolism.
Love locks, however, aren’t all sweetness and love but also represent the booming tourism industry and its negative effects. As tourists now like to attach padlocks to the Ponte Vecchio and other bridges in Italy, thousands of locks have to be removed each year to prevent the deterioration of the statues and bridges, a lengthy and costly job. In 2006, in response to the protests of Florentine citizens, the city police were urged to control the Ponte Vecchio, in particular the monument to Benvenuto Cellini, and fine anyone who tried to attach a lock; a hefty fine of 50 euro.
Several procedural rules have evolved for these metallic love vows over the years. For example, couples must write their names with a felt-tipped pen, on one side of the lock, adding the date of their passage through Florence on the other side, before throwing the keys into the river. There’s a legend that tells that one of the locks once attached to the railing around the statue of Cellini, was a combination lock to the entrance to the Vasari Corridor, atop the bridge linking Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi with the Pitti Palace. This passage was designed as a private route for the rulers of the city. I haven’t heard of anyone opening this mysterious passageway, but maybe you will be lucky…As you can see the luccheti d’amore have symbolized many different things over the years – devotion to one’s country, teenage puppy love, the prospect of eternal love, as well as the damaging nature of tourism. Believe what you like, attach one if you must, but take care not to get fined 50 euro!
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