Love locks lost: Paris dismantles monument to eternal love
Paris dismantles monument to love
City authorities are removing thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge over safety concerns and worries about damage.
City authorities are taking down thousands of padlocks affixed to the famed Pont des Arts bridge. The Ile de la Cite with the Pont Neuf bridge appears through the partly lock-free railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015.
The city says the locks, usually hung by couples to express eternal love, are causing long-term damage to Paris heritage sites. Paris city employees remove a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015.
Last summer a chunk of fencing fell off under their weight. Paris city employees remove railings loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015.
Some residents had campaigned against the locks, which started appearing about a decade ago. The Eiffel tower appears through railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015.
Authorities began dismantling the metal grills along the sides of the bridge Monday and plan to remove 45 tons of padlocks in all.
A Paris city employee carts away a railing loaded with locks on the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015.
The Ile de la Cite appears through the partly locks-free railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015.
The Ile de la Cite appears through the partly locks-free railing of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Similar locks now cover sites across the French capital.
The Pont des Arts bridge will soon have padlock-proof plexiglass panels instead. The Ile de la Cite, with the Pont Neuf bridge appears through the lock-free railings of the famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015.
People cross the mostly lock-free famed Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, Monday June 1, 2015. Locks were once hung there by couples to express eternal love.
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Photos by Remy de la Mauviniere of the Associated Press.
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