It’s the month of love again, and in many countries around the world, lovers are publicly pledging their undying love for each other, from wearing matching shirts and bracelets, to buying couples rings. I was in Europe for Valentine’s Day last year, and I saw one interesting custom they have: they use padlocks to symbolize their eternal love.
Couples would choose a lock, inscribe it with their names or initials, and then choose a public place—a bridge, fence, pole, a wall, a statue—where they can hang their padlock. It is believed that as long as the lock remains there, their love will remain true.
The use of padlocks to symbolize the “locking of love” reportedly originated from China. However, for the Chinese, this ritual is not limited to couples. Even family members and friends can use the symbol of the padlock to show their love for each other.
Solitary love lock in Christiania, Copenhagen.
How this custom spread in Europe is still unknown. However, it did become highly popular in the early 2000s when Italian writer Federico Moccia published his novel I Want You, where a couple attached a bicycle lock on a lamppost to show their love for each other.
The first love lock I saw in Europe was in Copenhagen. I was looking at the frozen river in Christiania when I saw the solitary padlock on the railing, and my friend Nis had to explain it to me. I wondered why there was only one there, though. Is the practice not so popular in Denmark? Or is it because the residents of Christiania don’t subscribe to this belief?
Forever etched in a padlock in Dresden, Germany.
When I was walking towards the Old Town in Dresden, I also saw a single love lock on the bridge crossing the River Elbe. The lack of railing didn’t faze the couple; they attached a chain around one of the supports and then hung their padlock there.
The inscription reads: “Jana+Jens für Immer” (“Jana+Jens Forever”). It was enough to make me wish I still had someone to hang a lock with, too!
Cute little love padlocks in Venice, Italy.
In other cities in Europe, however, the use of love locks is more popular. In Italy, for example, you can find those padlocks everywhere. In Rome, it has been prohibited, especially in the Ponte Milvio Bridge on the River Tiber, because it was so popular that the hundreds of padlocks on the bridge were endangering its structure.
The city mayor called it vandalism and enforced a 50-euro fine for couples caught attaching padlocks on the bridge.
Love locks attached on a Charles Bridge railing in Prague.
In Venice, though, it doesn’t seem to be considered vandalism. You can see love locks on some bridges, and it is assumed that, following what Moccia’s characters have done in the book, the couples would then throw away the key into the river, symbolically locking their love forever.
A lot of love locks can be seen on Charles Bridge in Prague as well. Praha is one of the most romantic cities in Europe, and it is easy to see couples standing on the bridge, looking at Prague Castle in the distance, and pledging forever to each other.
Some have attached their love locks on the marker showing St. John of Nepomuk being tortured to death and thrown off the Charles Bridge. Is it romantic or what?
Hundreds of love locks in Juliet’s House in Verona.
In Verona, though, the city of Romeo and Juliet, you will never see more locks than in Casa di Giulietta, where there are hundreds of colorful padlocks affixed to the wall in the courtyard inside Juliet’s House.
Indeed, who else can represent forever undying love than these two star-crossed lovers? As if the padlocks were not enough, couples would write their names or initials on the walls, too, making the whole place a haven for graffiti lovers.
Colorful love locks in Verona, Italy.
What’s unique about the padlocks there though is that most of them are of different colors—there are red ones, yellow ones, purple ones, and even green and orange ones. Nowhere else in Europe did I see such colorful love locks than here.
It was only in Budapest, though, that I saw bicycle locks being used. I wonder if it’s supposed to make their love bigger and last longer?
Even bicycle locks are used in Budapest, Hungary.
I also liked the humor I’ve seen there. Whereas in most cities in Europe, names or initials would suffice, one lock in Budapest chose to write their (assumed) affectionate nicknames for each other: “Big Nose loves Big Face.” Is there anything sweeter than that?
Cute names on a love lock in Budapest.
Yes, I know that this post is cheesier than most. Then again, it’s the love month, after all, so we’re entitled to be cheesy, aren’t we? 😉
Have you ever used a love lock? Where did you hang it? If not, do you have any quaint custom for lovers in your country?
Aleah Taboclaon is a location independent writer, editor, and the travel blogger behind Solitary Wanderer. She's partial to slow travel, and prefers extreme adventures like hiking and caving over sightseeing. She likes running (completed one marathon, training for the next!), diving (PADI open water diver), and traveling with her Kindle. Follow her on Instagram and Pinterest!
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32 Comments. Leave new
There is a wall called “the lovers’ wall” in Pécs, Hungary as well, even bigger than the one(s) in Budapest!
Sorry, didn’t find link on it in english… http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szerelmesek_lakatjai
And there are a few others in other cities and towns in Hungary, also mentioned in the article.
From saturday it’s february again 😉
@ Andrew: Thanks!! They look nice, don’t they?
@ Nicole: I agree 🙂
Loved this post! We saw quite a few of these too throughout Europe. I think its so romantic 🙂
I like numbers one and four best! Nice post, Aleah.
@ Micki: It’s already in the US, and of course, it’s also in China where it originated, plus in Japan and South Korea. I would love to see it spread!
@ DJ: I didn’t do it when I was in Europe too! Hope next time when I go back, I’ll have the chance.
Fun post…we have never done this when in Europe, but I think I’ll add it to our list next time around.
How interesting! I’ve never seen these in the US or Canada. I wonder if the fad will spread overseas?
@ Cat: Ohhh, too bad it hasn’t caught on there yet! Maybe someday haha
@ Kin: I wish haha I had no other initial to put on the lock. Next time when I go back, I definitely will 😀
did you leave a lock behind? 🙂
Recently, these love locks started popping up on the wrought iron of the Queen Isabel bridge in Seville only to be sliced off. Since I speak Spanish, I loved reading the messages and decoding them! Maybe it’s cheesy, but I’m a romantic!
@ Jo: Never been to Wroclaw, but I can imagine it would catch on there too!
@ Sand in my Suitcase: Wow, that is a LOT of love locks! Thanks for sharing your article!
Lovely photos of the love locks! We saw some 40,000 love locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne – and wrote about the charming custom too in our article on “A Day in Cologne, Germany,” published in TravelAge West magazine: http://www.travelagewest.com/travel/europe/info/ideal-itinerary–a-day-in-cologne,-germany/
It’s a lovely thing to do. I remember when I first saw it in Wroclaw, Poland, I thought it was amazing and also looked really cool on a old bridge.
@ LoveLocks: Yeah, it certainly is!
@ Marnie Byod: You can see lovelocks as well in China, Japan, and the US, although I’ve heard you can find it as well in South Korea.
I actually love the idea of love locks.
This is something really meaningful and worth trying if you visit Europe.
I believe some other countries also have this thing.
Yep…Valentines Day is just around the corner. What a wonderful and unique gift of LOVE! LoveLocks!!!
@ A Cook Not Mad: Wow, next time I go to Europe, and IF I have someone, we will surely leave a love lock somewhere. It must be so thrilling to go back and find that it’s still there!
@ Reena: Yeah, isn’t it cute? haha
Haha, I LOVE the “big nose big face” lock! There’s unconditional love for you 😛 I think the whole lock thing is a cute idea – and a great money-making business for nearby lock sellers!
We left one in Paris two years ago, found it again when we returned last summer. We’ve seen them in Budapest, Cologne, Bologna and many other cities. We’ve even seen them in Ucluelet British Columbia.
@ Gabi: I also like that picture of the single lock with the A on it. Seems so…I don’t know…profound somehow.
@ Salika Jay: Yeah, Paris would sure have a lot of love locks. I’ve never been there though.
Paris is also a place that has love locks. I really like the Verona love locks. They’re so colourful and beautiful to look at.
oh so beautiful. what a lovely post and i what a lovely idea. i adore how you took pics from all those different countries and put them together in one post. especially the pic with the lock and the A- just phenomenal. gabi
@ Dennis: I think there’s also a city in the US that’s called Lovelock haha
@ Phioxee: Yay! That would be so sweet!
i love that idea of love locks 😉 now i know what to give on valentines day.
It’s truly interesting how these padlocks have evolved into meaningful objects defining a relationship all over Europe. Saw them on a bridge in Lithuania and now Brooklyn Bridge in New York is getting the lover’s treatment as well 🙂
@ Larissa: Thanks. You’re right 😀
@ Fifi Leigh: Yeah, there are a hundred and one ways people leave their mark! You forgot tattoos 😀
interesting and entertaining post. i dont think americans do anything interesting, except maybe carve their names or initials on different objects, trees, cement sidewalks, and stuff like that. or, maybe, paint graffiti on walls, t-shirts, book covers or other objects.
I think it’s very sweet. We all could use a little love in our life. Thanks for making me smile 🙂
@ Marisol: I would have liked to see the Via del Amore in Cinque Terre. I’ve heard so much about it! Yeah, there are some in Nurnberg. It’s a small lovely town despite its history.
@ Nini: Theoretically yes, but some cities see it as vandalism. There are designated places where you can put a love lock, which you will know because there will be a lot of padlocks there haha
It’s sweet <3 Aww I wish someday I can go to Europe with someone special and leave a love lock in every city haha so you can just put the locks anywhere you can in Europe?
I know there are also love locks in South Korea.
Hi Aleah, not cheesy at all! I thought it’s a fun, enjoyable post. I love seeing places with love locks. They give a sense of romance, lightheartedness and hope. My favorite love lock place is the hiking trail called Via del Amore in Cinque Terre. The whole length of the trail is pretty much adorned with lovelocks. I thought it was so sweet. It’s interesting to know that there are lovelocks in Nuremberg! Being associated with dark history, it’s good to know that there’s some sense of romance there, too. Love the colorful locks in Verona. But what could be appropriate and more romantic love lock than the red one from Venice that is dotted with hearts? Lovely shots!