Bridge in Paris collapses under the weight of love

The bridge of love in Paris, France was evacuated and cordoned off by the police, as part of its railing collapsed in the Seine, under the heavy load of the metal locks of love that tourists attach on it. This romantic gesture is also appearing in other locations around Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, where authorities recently removed about 40 locks. The weight of love has also harmed the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Ponte l'Accademia in Venice, causing a headache to the authorities. 

The pedestrian Pont des Arts bridge, connecting the Palais du Louvre and the Institut de France, accepts the love of many couples arriving there from around the globe to seal their love by hanging metal locks. The couples typically place the locks, carrying their names and other engravings on the bridge's railings and drop the keys into the river. This ritual started in 2008 and has extended in two more bridges, the Pont de l'Archevêché (near Notre Dame) and the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir. The weight of the metal padlocks is weakening sections of the railings and authorities are frequently inspecting the bridges in order to replace the dangerous railing parts.

But inspections did not timely track a gradually weakening 2.4meter section of the railings in the Pont des Arts bridge, which collapsed into the Seine, under the weight of thousands of small padlocks, this Sunday June 8th. The police evacuated and closed the 150m bridge, which is expected to re-open within a day.