"Here I stand once again, searching, waiting for him though I know he will never appear.
I hope he will see our lock ~engraved with our names and a message only he would understand. This bridge is my only hope and I am compelled to come back night after night, hoping my Christian will return to me”.
~Amanda Perretti, Eternal Hunger
FACTS ABOUT PONT DES ARTS
Built between 1802 and 1804, the nine-arch metallic pedestrian bridge was constructed in Paris under the reign of Napoleon I.
Rebuilt in the 1980’s the bridge served as a place for art exhibitions as painters and photographers gravitated to the bridge.
Since 2008 tourists began attaching padlocks – engraved with the lovers names on them - to the railings on the side of the bridge, then throwing the key into the Seine as a romantic gesture.
It fast became a place for lovers with locks attached over other locks.
By 2014, it was estimated that over 7000,00 love locks were attached to the railings, posing severe safety concerns.