What is romance? Perhaps a romantic ritual which locks your love forever?

Well, maybe the gadget which could lock your love forever doesn’t exist yet and maybe it is better that way - a true love shouldn’t be locked, right? But perhaps you should follow this romantic gesture anyway, right?

Many couples being in love all around the world have started this very romantic gesture which does the same. They lock padlocks with their names or initials on fences, street lights or bridges and throw the keys – immortal symbol of locked love – into the river.

In Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia (did you notice the word love in the name?), which is one of the smallest countries in EU (but with the Alps and the Adriatic) new Butcher’s Bridge (Mesarski most) was built two years ago over the Ljubljanica river. During this period many local and foreign couples have chosen this beautiful bridge with tiny steel fence to be one of the world’s ‘love bridges’ despite of its name and very non-romantic sculptures of famous Slovene sculptor Jakov Brdar which decorate the bridge.

The similar ritual can be seen all over the world, in Verona, Paris, Brussels, Moscow and many other cities in Europe and Asia.

Unfortunately City Hall authorities in some cities aren’t quite happy with those lovers’ rituals. They say that those padlocks ruin the cultural heritage. For example in Paris, legendary romantic French capital, Pont des Arts was one of the famous bridges with ‘locks of love’. But some day many of such padlocks disappeared over the night, just a few days after the city representatives promised that they would find them a new home on some special iron trees. 

It is not really clear where and when this lovers’ ritual started. It is possible that they were inspired by the Italian author Federico Moccia and its book romance ‘Ho voglia di Te’ (I want you). Two lovers in the novel put their padlock on the third street lamp near the old Roman Bridge Ponte Milvio in Rome, kissed themselves and threw the key into the river Tibero. Since the movie has been made based on that novel in 2006, many couples have imitated those protagonists on that bridge. 

Has this ritual been spread all over the world from Rome? We don’t know for sure and it doesn’t really matter. It is an interesting gesture and if you visit Ljubljana, you can go to see the Butcher’s Bridge and its padlocks and enjoy your time in very romantic and historical city with many museums, restaurants, shops and medieval castle.

And, of course, if you come in couple, don’t forget to lock your love...