Short story about Locks of Love
Love locks exist all over the world, almost there is no bridge without them. But do you know story about this symbol of eternal love? Believed or not, roots of this custom are deep into Serbian history. Don't believe? Well, let me tell you that story.
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There is a small spa town in central Serbia called Vrnjacka Banja. Very nice place and even it is an spa town, it is very popular among young people. Very nice nature around it, some nice relaxing spa during the day and rich night life make it perfect place for summer holidays and relaxing weekends. But, let's go back to subject - Love Locks.
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Some hundred years ago, Serbia was in World War I, and many loves are rudely interrupted by that war. One of them was between young girl named Nada and young Serbian officer Relja. They engaged in daybreak of World War, and promised that they will be together when war is over. As you may read in one of my first posts here on SteemIt, that war was devastating and Serbian army was forced to retreat, to only friendly country - Greece. Relja was one of those Serbian warriors who end up on Greek island Corfu with my grand grand father Sava (if you didn't read that story about my ancestor, you should read it, trust me). Anyway, Relja was there on Corfu, and as many young people, sun and sea make him forget his promises to Nada. He fall in love with local girl and broke his engagement with Nada. She never recover from broken heart and, sadly, she died very soon...
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As a protection of their love from bad luck, young women from Vrnjacka Banja started to put paddocks with their names and names of their loves to bridge where Nada and Relja used to meet. That bridge is now named Bridge of Love and it is first place in the world where padlocks as symbol of eternal love appeared. If you are ever there, try to see some of bottom padlocks, and you may notice that they are very very old.
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That's short story about Locks of Love. Today we have thousands of bridges with love lock on them, but first and original one is Bridge of Love in small Serbian town Vrnjacka Banja. As a memory of Nada and Relja sad story, every year Love Fest taking place in this small Serbian town, with thousands of young people gathering to dance and sing in honor of The Love.
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I hope you will enjoy in these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Good stuff.
Thank you very much!
Thanks for sharing dear I like your work and upvote you hope you also do same for me
Thank you very much!
Sramota da još uvek nisam bila tamo! Jedva čekam proleće, pa da obiđem par naših gradova. Super post! 😉
Smem li da priznam da ni ja nisam bio godinama (kad kazem godinama mislim na 10+) :))
Inace nemoj nikome da kazes da fotografije nisu iz Banje, ali mi se ucinilo da ce tekst biti interesantniji ako mu dam malo 'nase' note :)
Potresna i jaka priča. Može jedna slika iz aprila 2017.?
Veoma sam uzivala u vasem postu i fotografijama , hvala Vam najlepse.
Puno hvala :)
That is a sad story but a nice tradition grew from it. I've seen a few of these bridges now but what strikes me about the photos you've posted are the number of padlocks that are red. I've not seen that on the bridges I've visited.
Those red locks are photographed near one wedding chapel, and I sow that in local wedding shop they have some amazing choice of locks in all colors (mostly red) and shapes (mostly harts). They even offer to put your names on lock by professional engraver :)
Okay, this story brought tears to my eyes. What a powerful symbol of love and a sad (but understandable) start to the tradition. I'd never heard of love locks before. What an interesting post!
Yes, it's a sad story, life can be cruel some times. Especially when love is a stake.
Very interesting, Dejan! :)
My niece was just in South Korea - they have the same at Seoul Tower...
I've seen them everywhere. Some cities had to issue warnings and even fines, as some of the bridges in danger. In Paris there a couple bridges which are protected with glass, so locks cannot be put on them. Actually Paris had couple cases of partial bridge collapse and locks are to be blamed... well it is city of love :) In Berlin, fine for putting lock on bridge is very severe. In Venice, fine is 3000 euros (one of useless information from my hotel brochure) ;)
Aw, what a story... I had no idea... beautiful, and wonderful photos!