http://carolyntravels.com/2010/10/04/the-lock-tree/ Carolyn's Travel Stories SHORT STORIES AND PHOTOS OF FUN & DIFFERENT THINGS LEARNED ON TRAVELS The Lock Tree of Love October 4, 2010 by Carolyn After leaving the Tretyakov Gallery of Russian Art in Moscow, we had to walk on Luzhov Bridge over a canal that connects to the Volga River to our Tauck World Discovery coach parked on the other side. We had just finished seeing the world class Russian art works in the Gallery, so we had no idea that we were going to see another creative Russian art exhibit. That surprise was waiting for us on that bridge. On that pedestrian bridge were three 9×5-foot trees made of iron and full of locks. These were no ordinary locks because they were placed on these trees by newlyweds on their wedding day and perhaps lovers showing their forever faith in their relationship. The locks were all shapes, sizes and colors on the many triangular-shaped branches. And each lock had an inscription on it of the couple’s names and a comment of their love for each other. The inscriptions were written in every kind of permanent medium from paint to fingernail polish to engraving. The couple on their wedding day would go to a tree and place their lock on the tree and lock it and throw the key in the canal. http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1850865_1897487_1897459,00.html http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,1850865_1897487_1897459,00.html Without the key, the lock could not be removed by either one of the couple. Therefore, they agreed, the marriage could only be ended if the key could be found in that canal. And, if the key was found, the lock could then be unlocked and removed and the marriage could then be terminated. And if the key could not be found, the marriage shall be forever. But, the three trees were loaded with so many locks that there was no room for any more. Luckily, two more lock trees were on one side of the canal but they also were loaded with locks of all shapes sizes and colors. So to help alleviate the overload problem, the unknown “tree keepers” periodically added more trees and removed locks so that more can be added. Now the permanent romance promise can continue and married couples and those in a relationship can continue to show their forever love for each other. ====== http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/padlock-tree-park pictures ============ http://www.moscow-russia-insiders-guide.com/luzhkov-bridge-in-moscow.html Bridge history ============ http://othermoscow.livejournal.com/6588.html Lock pictures ======= http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/oct/18/travel-moscow-russia-love-lockdown/# As the story was first told to me, several years ago a newlywed couple revived this tradition when they sealed their vows by placing a padlock on the rail of the Luzhkov Bridge that spans a canal of the Moscow River in the center of the city and threw the key into the water symbolizing the permanence of their union. It was said that if either member of the union wished to end it, they had to dive into the freezing cold and extremely polluted water to retrieve the key to the lock. The story went viral, and in a few weeks the bridge railings were covered with hundreds of locks in a city where weddings are usually big splashy affairs with stretch limos, colorful tuxedos and gallons of champagne. However, the city fathers decided the bridge full of padlocks had become an eyesore, and they were cut off. But that only increased the fervor of young Muscovites in love. Russians are raised on folklore and fairytales, and fell in love with the idea of using the locks to symbolize permanent love – especially when it involved finding one particular key among thousands of others at the bottom of the waterway in order to end it. As the tradition spread, the divorce rate in the city actually dropped. (While this is probably a wives' tale, it’s a good one.) Realizing the popularity of this custom, the city erected a symbolic tree made of steel on which the couples were encouraged to place their locks (left). This became so popular that within a couple of years, the bridge was packed with trees and the idea was extended along the entire street next to the canal. Today, there are ten different streets in Moscow where newly hitched couples go on their blessed days to visually present their love to the world by placing their padlocks on the steel trees. This scene of metallic shrubbery resembles a scene straight out of Edward Scissorhands. The trees each have hundreds of padlocks, some modern and new, but the most popular seem to be old – and the older the better. Leading the way are ancient-looking padlocks the size of a human fist that require an old church key, harking back to medieval times. Many are painted bright colors, and almost all of them are hand-painted with the couple's names and date of their wedding. The trees look like metallic cotton candy or steel snow cones.