Paris city employees remove a railing loaded with locks on the Pont des Arts bridge on Monday, June 1. For years, couples have put locks on the bridge to symbolize their affection -- a tradition often followed by throwing the key into the Seine River below. But the city is now removing the padlocks because sections of the bridge's fencing started crumbling under the locks' weight.
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A man works to remove locks attached to the bridge on June 1.
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A married couple poses in front of the locks on Sunday, May 31.
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A woman attaches a lock to the bridge on Friday, May 29.
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Pittsburgh couple Megan and Rob Easley sealed their love with a lock on the bridge commemorating their wedding date. After Megan heard the locks would be taken down, she posted on Facebook, "Our love will survive!"
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"I personally think the lock bridge is beautiful with all the love locks," said Jessica Gonzaga, who sealed her love in May.
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Dallas newlyweds Ronald and Sharita Jones spent their honeymoon in Paris. They put on an engraved lock on the bridge.
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A 2006 Italian novel-turned-film is thought to have created the practice, which started in Rome and spread.
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The bridge carried more than 700,000 locks, with an estimated combined weight roughly the same as 20 elephants.
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Loose locks sit on the ground near the bridge on February 14.
