[2] Typically the sweethearts' names or initials, and perhaps the date, are inscribed on the padlock, and its key is thrown away (often into a nearby river) to symbolize unbreakable love.
In 2014, the New York Times reported that the history of love padlocks dates back at least 100 years to a melancholic Serbian tale of World War I, with an attribution for the bridge Most Ljubavi (lit.
Nada never recovered from that devastating blow, and after some time she died due to heartbreak from her unfortunate love.
However, in Rome, the ritual of affixing love padlocks to the bridge Ponte Milvio can be attributed to the 2006 book I Want You by Italian author Federico Moccia, who made a film adaptation in 2007.
[13]: 39, 40, 49 In many instances, love locking has been classified an act of vandalism[14] and local authorities and site owners have had padlocks removed.