While walking from the Porto Turistico to the town center of Salerno last week, I noticed something that I had missed while making this same walk many times before. Along the railing overlooking the water there were bunches of locks, like the small ones you might use to lock a bike chain or a locker.
Looking closer I saw that each one had the names of a couple written on it, often with hearts or other sentimental sayings. This must be the Salerno version of the age-old tradition of young lovers carving their names on trees.
I have to admit it is far better than the graffiti versions you find all over Italy painted on walls or scribbled on the back of bus seats.
This doesn’t permanently damage anything, and the lock actually has a sweet sentiment to it. I don’t think I’d like to be the person that must occasionally come along and cut all these off. I would be wondering what happened with Luigi & Ilaria and how things were going with Marianna & Vincenzo.
Talking with people recently, I’ve learned that this is very popular in the Naples area, and also in Rome and Florence. I would love to see photos! Has anyone seen this outside Italy?
Go watch '3 metri sopra il cielo' and then 'Ho voglia di te'. Theres the whole love scene with the padlock and throwing the key into the river to seal their love forever! I think its in the second film, but they are both worth watching.
Solamente in Italia. Che molto romantico!
For those of you interested in reading more, James Martin from Wandering Italy just sent me a fun article he wrote about something similar in Rome. You can read it here:
http://wanderingitaly.com/blog/article/133/locks-chains-and-bridges-all-the-rage-in-italy
I cannot remember where I first saw padlocks used to declare love in this way, but it was probably in Roma.
Until recently when the commune(one assumes)decided to remove them there was such a collection in Viterbo.
I think I would like to start this in Scarborough at the Bluffs! Should I what do you think? I haven't seen it here in Canada.
I've always loved this idea–so cute and yet not so littery and graffti-like
Funny…my husband and I took this really nice picture of us along the Amalfi coast. If you look real close you can see tons of locks.
Ciao Charlie! Thanks for the movie recommendations. They sound fun!
Ciao Lisa! Very romantic indeed!
Ciao Linda! Someone on twitter also told me about the collection in Viterbo. I bet they are occasionally cut off in Salerno, too.
Ciao Lucia! That would be fun! Taking a bit of Italy back to Canada.
Ciao Michelle! Yes, so much better than graffiti. Cute is a good word to describe it!
Ciao Food Hunter! I was waiting to see if someone would comment that they had seen it on the Amalfi Coast. Out of curiosity, do you remember where that photo was taken?