PONTE VECCHIO
 

Does anyone know anything about hanging a lock at the Ponte Vecchio and throwing away the key

Sounds like vandalism to me and if many do a drag on Florence who will have to pay someone to blast the locks off.

If you Google 'Ponte Vecchio lock', you'll find a number of references to lovers leaving a lock and throwing away the key. However, on Wikipedia you'll see that there is now a 50 Euro fine for doing this.

And no decent tourist would go to a place and wantonly violate the law IMO

I haven't heard anything about placing locks on Ponte Vechio and would hate to see it happen.

In Rome, however, there is a bridge called Ponte Milvio that was made famous by a scene in a romantic movie in which two young lovers write their names on a lock and place it, as a symbol of their undying love, on an iron post on the bridge. After that, so many people did it, the posts bent. All the locks were removed and placed on display in city hall. I think they have put some posts there now just for people to put locks on and vendors now sell locks (of course). There are lots of stories about it. Here is one web site: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/Tourism/l...ian-bridge.asp

You can also just type in "locks on bridge in Rome," or Ponte Milvio, Rome, and lots of sites will pop up.

Rick steves books talks about it

Last time I was in Florence (2004?) I saw 100+ locks on the PV. I think I also heard the locks are supposed to be a profession of love, or something like that.

hey hamlet..i want to take a lock on my trip and put it there..but i need to find out if its legal

However, on Wikipedia you'll see that there is now a 50 Euro fine for doing this.>

that is not enough for you

and why do you think defacing a centuries old monument would not be illegal?

I remember the locks there on Ponte Vecchio, as well as on a bridge in a little town way up north. A lot of them had been painted over along with the bridge railings. The newers one were engraved with a couple's initials and a date. I thought it was a romantic gesture, but I was younger and didn't think about the vandalism point of view.

We actually left a lock on the Ponte Vecchio. I didn't think of it as vandalism, but rather as a new and dynamic tradition to take part in.

Lovers would place their lock on the bridge, on some ironwork, and toss the key into the Arno, signifying their enduring love.

But if they are giving out fines, I wouldn't do it. At the time, it was popular and seemed romantic.

Hi

When I was there earlier this year, I noticed many padlocks at a site on Lungarno Archibusieri,(left of the Ponte Vecchio when approaching from the centre). So, not on Ponte Vecchio, but very nearby. The romantics then tossed the key into the Arno. My teacher from the language school said many young Italians did this, so maybe it's a better place than the Ponte Vecchio for this illustration of love!

Yvonne

There are also many locks on the railings of Piazzale Michaelangelo.

PalenQ , I understand your point, but where is your soul? Surely lovers clipping a padlock to a bridge is far less damaging than e.g. Spraying "Baz loves Beryl" (or the Italian equivalent) in aerosol paint on an ancient monument.

How about having 5 euro permits or such to leave a lock - paying Florence's cost in having to remove it?

The same situation re: locks exists at the Seoul Tower. Hundreds or thousands of locks, so I guess it's not such a "unique" tradition.

Dave

Call me old school

but if i know it is considered vandalism by the city of Florence i would never do it - i always want to follow the will of the people where i go and to not violate their laws

Yews old school. But if i knew that such acts were considered vandalism, with fines, i would never then do something illegal - even if it seems an incoculous thing

Call me old school - but i always observe local laws, however idiotic they seem - lest i be called an Ugly American, etc.

(In Germany and Austria i always obediently wait when crossing a street until the walk sign comes on - lest i even if no traffic is coming for miles saunter across the street - because this raises the hackles of Germans and Austrian who duly wait on the curb until the Walk Sign instructs them it's OK to cross.)

Call me old-fashioned but i believe in observing local laws.

This is called pollution where I come from...do you want people to begin dropping locks in your local waterway - key or no key?