The famous “Pont des Arts” bridge in Paris might no longer be the same.
The 19 century bridge has been habitually used by lovers to attach initialled padlocks to its metallic grid railings as a symbol of their love. And on Monday, workmen in Paris started pulling off hundreds of thousands of these padlocks, afraid the sheer weight of the romantic tokens could put the structure at risk.
"It's the end of the padlocks," deputy Paris mayor Bruno Julliard said in a statement.
"They spoil the aesthetics of the bridge, are structurally bad for it and can cause accidents," he added, noting that at least one section of railing had already collapsed under the weight in a potential risk to shipping on the River Seine below.
The existing railings will initially be replaced with panels covered in street art and later this year by plexiglass, he said.
Paris authorities are looking to recycle the metal used for the padlocks for humanitarian projects "so that the symbol of love which these couples have invested in them will not be lost entirely", Julliard told reporters later on Monday.
But authorities will also take a zero-tolerance attitude towards padlocks starting to turn up at other locations around Paris, including the iconic Eiffel Tower, Julliard added.
"We all want Paris to remain the city of love, of romance. But we think it can stay the city of love without love locks."
