It all comes from a book by Federico Moccia: "I want you", a bestseller and later a movie. The story inspired thousands of roman lovers to imitate the protagonists in writing their names on a padlock and lock it on Ponte Milvio lampposts.
Soon the lampposts became too heavy and polemics exploded about the visual impact of this unusual love statement (the key was thrown in the Tevere, that implied eternal love) but soon the habit became almost a fashion and spread all over Italy....(from the NY Times, read more!)
