Here's a bit more about the bridge that fascinated me when I saw it and of course I just had to take some photo's of the locks and their inscriptions.
This is part of an article published by our local ABC radio station:
There's a mysterious phenomenon on the Seacliff Bridge - padlocks engraved with messages of love were appearing on the handrails at the north end. There were about eight in 2009 but from our latest walk across the bridge in May, there are now about 90 locks on the bridge!
We did discover the tradition behind this, which seems to come from China and central and northern Europe.
People have messages engraved on a lock and then they lock it the bridge for evermore - and they toss the key into the sea.
The idea is they're forever locked together!
Click on the image to enlarge the collage so you can read the inscriptions.
And more comments in the Mercury - our local paper.
The mystery starts at the southern end of the spectacular Sea Cliff Bridge in the northern Illawarra. On the bridges guard rail, people have started placing locks (yes, ordinary padlocks) engraved with dedications or mementos.
The tradition is said to have originated during the 1960s, when Italian soldiers began sticking their wardrobe padlocks on Florence's Ponte Vecchio bridge.
Perhaps the most famous example in Italy takes place on the Via Dell'Amore, a path connecting the towns of Manarola and Riomaggiore in the Cinque Terre. The pathway's legend holds that it was a meeting place for lovers from the two towns, and is now a favorite site for tourists to place their locks and throw the keys into the sea.
After seeing the locks on our bridge I looked up the phenomena and then understood their significance when I saw the locks on the Ponte Vecchico and in the Cinque Terre.
I wonder how many there are on the Sea Cliif bridge now?
Maybe someone might like to count them next year?
1 comments:
thats very interesting Stephanie wonder if the council will leave them there or remove them? cheers Pat
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