Love Locks Ponte Milvio Bridge in Rome

Love Locks Ponte Milvio Bridge in Rome.

When in Rome, find love. When in love, visit Rome. For centuries Rome has been associated with love. The enchanting Italian city attracts nearly five billion visitors each year. Whether experiencing it, chasing it, or trying to understand it, people definitely flock to Rome with love on their itinerary. Romantic architecture, beautiful artwork, starry-eyed couples dining at outdoor restaurants with fine Italian cuisine; love fills the air, and paints the town with an invisible shade of attraction. There is one place in particular, though, where lovers can publicly announce their affection—they call it the love bridge.

Ponte Milvio is a famous bridge in the northern part of Rome, specifically the Della Vittoria district. It connects the Pizzale Cardinal Consalvi to the Piazzale di Ponte Milvio, and it is intricately adorned with locks of each and every size. “Padlocks of Love,” they call them. The bridge is the declaration of love made by thousands of individuals each year that rendezvous with their lovers at the famous bridge. There they lock an engraved padlock to the bridge, and throw the key into the river, forever committing them to one another. It is said that nothing can break this forever seal of love, except for the key, which is never to be found at the bottom of a running body of water.

The love bridge rose to fame thanks to a movie that was filmed in Rome, and released in 2007, Ho Voglia di Te. The two main characters of the movie declared their eternal love for each other by locking their own padlock onto the lamppost of the bridge, and throwing their key into the river down below. As a result, thousands of teenagers flocked to the bridge to recreate the scene, thus declaring their own eternal love. The bridge was originally constructed out of wood, but in 110 BC was reconstructed out of brick by Marco Emilio Scauro (Romanhostels.com). The bridge became so popular that, despite it’s strong brick foundation, the city feared it might sink from all of the locks. The locks were eventually removed from the bridge in the early fall of 2012 (September).

Love Locks on the Ponte Milvio bridge in Rome

People still visit Ponte Milvio to lock their padlock to the bridge and declare their eternal love, today. The neighbourhood has become an especially popular place to peruse among young couples. There are dozens of cafes where you can sit, enjoy some fine Italian dining, and share all of your secrets with the person that you love. Even if you haven’t found your other half, this is still a prominent location to be seen by all. It is a public site, open all day, and admission is free. Next time you are in Rome, stop by and take your own chance at love in the passionately romantic city.