Paris 'Love Locks' Removed From Famous Bridge As City Chooses History Over Sentiment | HuffPost

'Love Locks' Removed From Paris Bridge, As Twitter Floods With Emoji Tears

Steven Hopkins/AP— The Huffington Post

|

Hearts were breaking across the world Monday after officials began removing locks loved-up couples had attached to a Paris bridge as a symbol of their eternal amour.

For close to a decade, couples, mainly tourists, but Parisians too, had attached locks, often engraved with their initials, names, or tributes to one another, on the Pont des Arts, before throwing the key into the River Seine - thus symbolically locking their love away forever.

The share weight of the affections caused part of the bridge's railing to collapse last year and led to its temporary closure.

Officials later launched a campaign encouraging romantics to capture their love with a selfie, rather than sealing it with a lock, but love is old-fashioned it seems, and it failed.

Officials in Paris Monday began moving close to one million "love locks" from historic bridges in the city

A petition was also started to "save our historic sites", and it gained some 10,000 signatures, but it is not known what, if any impact, that had on the decision to remove the locks.

Close to one million locks, weighing some 45 tonnes, are believed to be attached to the bridge, which dates back to 1804.

Over the next few days they will be removed, along with locks that later began appearing along the Pont de l'Archeveche, near the Notre Dame cathedral. What will become of the locks is unclear.

The metal grilles on the bridge will be replaced by panels painted by street artists.

Twitter reacted as expected. It was awash with crying emojis from those who had locked their love to the bridge, and those who wanted to.

But there was a silver lining according to some.

It seems love is cruel, even in a city that's famous for it.

"It's the end of the padlocks," Bruno Julliard, Paris deputy mayor told the BBC.

"They spoil the aesthetics of the bridge, are structurally bad for it and can cause accidents."

In Venice tourists have attached love-locks to the Rialto bridge, and in New York, to the Brooklyn Bridge. Locks have also been attached to several bridges in London, including Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge.

'Love locks' removed from Paris bridge

France Love Locks(01 of24)

Paris city employees remove a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(02 of24)

A Paris city employee removes a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(03 of24)

A Paris city employee uses a grinder to cut a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. Visible in background is the French Academy. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(04 of24)

The Ile de la Cite appears through the partly locks-free railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(05 of24)

A Paris city employee uses a grinder to cut a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(06 of24)

A Paris city employee uses a grinder to cut locks from a street lamp on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(07 of24)

A Paris city employee removes a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(08 of24)

The Ile de la Cite, with the Pont Neuf , bridge appears through the lock-free railings of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(09 of24)

Paris city employees remove a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(10 of24)

Paris city employees remove a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(11 of24)

Paris city employees remove railings loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(12 of24)

A Paris city employee uses a grinder to cut a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. Visible in background is the French Academy. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

Paris Love Lock bridge(13 of24)

The message on the lock says, "lets lock our love together and throw away the key" (credit:Twitter)

France Daily Life(14 of24)

A couple look at "Love padlocks" attached to the Archeveche bridge, in Paris, Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Lovers from the world over, aware of the bridge's romancing traditions, have secured thousands of engraved padlocks as a testament of their mutual enchantment, before hurling the key into the Seine river. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(15 of24)

A Paris city employee removes a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Valentines Day(16 of24)

French lovers David, 22 with Charlene, 23, embrace on Valentine's day in front of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, Monday Feb. 14, 2011. The padlocks on the railings of the bridge are left by lovers who lock their padlocks onto the fence and throw the key into the Seine river as a symbol of enduring love. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon ) (credit:Jacques Brinon/AP)

France Valentine's Day(17 of24)

An unidentified couple hug on Valentine's day in front of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, Monday Feb. 14, 2011. The padlocks on the railings of the bridge are left by lovers who lock their padlocks onto the fence and throw the key into the Seine river as a symbol of enduring love. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon ) (credit:Jacques Brinon/AP)

France Valentine's Day(18 of24)

French lovers David, 22 and Charlene, 23, lock a padlock to mark Valentine's day in front of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, Monday Feb. 14, 2011. The padlocks on the railings of the bridge are left by lovers who lock their padlocks onto the fence and throw the key into the Seine river as a symbol of enduring love. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon ) (credit:Jacques Brinon/AP)

France Valentine's Day(19 of24)

French lovers, David, 22 with Charlene, 23, kiss on Valentine's day in front of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, Monday Feb. 14, 2011. The padlocks on the railings of the bridge are left by lovers who lock their padlocks onto the fence and throw the key into the Seine river as a symbol of enduring love. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon ) (credit:Jacques Brinon/AP)

France Love Locks(20 of24)

People cross the mostly lock-free famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(21 of24)

The Ile de la Cite, with the Pont Neuf , bridge appears through the lock-free railings of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(22 of24)

The Ile de la Cite with the Pont Neuf bridge appears through the partly lock-free railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(23 of24)

The Eiffel tower appears through the partly lock-free railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

France Love Locks(24 of24)

The Eiffel tower appears through the partly lock-free railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Lovers in Paris, beware: City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The city council says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, cause long-term damage to Paris heritage and sometimes pose a security risk. Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere) (credit:Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

SEE ALSO
Toddler Helps Father André Nordstrand Propose On Mountain Top In Romantic Video
Man With Down's Syndrome Stages Romantic And Heartwarming Proposal
How To Make A Romantic Valentine's Day Meal For £2.95. Yes, Really

Suggest a correction

|

What's Hot

Not Checking This WiFi Setting Is Like 'Leaving Your Front Door Open' To Hackers

Blow For Rishi Sunak As New Poll Gives Labour Huge Lead Ahead Of Local Elections

Here's Why You Should Never Throw The Liquid On Your Yoghurt Out

Forget 10,000 Steps A Day — This Is The Number You Should Focus On Instead