Paris has long been known as the “City of Love” and is visited by many couples. I’m sure it is the Eiffel Tower that stands out for so many, and it is beautiful, but there are many other sights to see as well. Paris is, after all, one of the top honeymoon destinations. I can’t say it is any more romantic than any other city, but then I have never been there, so I would not really be the best person to say. Paris is not only dubbed the City of Love but also the art capital of the world. One of the most famous artistic styles that flourished in the city is, you guessed it, Romanticism. I can see where art would be a big deal there. Some of the landscapes and cityscapes are stunning. Paris was a city of many things. One of the many forms of love that came out of Paris was the Love Lock Bridge. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t totally a great idea.
It seems that as the many honeymooners and couples in love wanted to leave a lasting expression of their love. The arches of the Pont de Arts bridge, located in the heart of Paris have carried couples across the Seine since the early 1800s. Its original design included trees, floral beds, benches and other park-like amenities. Unfortunately, the original design was altered, due to boat collisions and two world wars. Even though the bridge didn’t take the couples to a romantic destination, it was still viewed as a romantic place due to its 
stunning views of the Eiffel Tower. The bridge still attracts visitors from around the world. It also attracted romantic gestures, but that is a relatively new tradition.
In 2008, something strange started happening. The visitors began engraving their names on padlocks, attaching the padlocks to the bridge, and throwing the keys into the river. It was a romantic gesture symbolizing never ending love. At first, nothing was done about the practice, because officials thought it was a fad that would quickly die out. It did not die out, and by 2017 there were about 700,000 padlocks secured on the bridge. That was how the bridge got its nickname…Love Lock Bridge.
Even with all those locks on the bridge, the fad continued. In fact, it literally exploded. At one point, it was estimated that there were over a million locks on the bridge. A section of the bridge railing actually collapsed under the weight of the extra load in 2015. A board was placed there as a temporary repair. At the point of the rail collapse, the bridge carried nearly 50 tons above and beyond its intended load capacity due to the weight of the metal locks. Apparently, that was about the weight of twenty elephants. Now the practice became more than just what might be considered an eyesore, they were a cause of concern for public safety. So, with that in mind, the city removed the locks. These days, visitors are still welcome to cross the bridge and take in the views of Paris, but they are no longer allowed to put locks on the bridge to “declare their enduring love.” Still, 
this hasn’t stopped some visitors from trying to add new locks to Pon des Arts bridge. Of course, now the locks are removed as soon as they are spotted. Instead of the locks, visitors are encouraged to take selfies or find less destructive declarations of love. I wonder if they might consider throwing roses into the river or something. I guess no one asked my, but it’s a thought anyway.
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