Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Three Keys in the Fountain

No I haven't got the lyrics wrong - for anyone who might just remember the old movie with Dorothy McGuire mooning over Clifton Webb (whatever was Dorothy thinking mooning over Clifton Webb????????)

Fontana di Trevi in off seasonIt nice to see that there are less people around town now that tourist season is officially over.

Down at Fonatana di Trevi the best vantage point for picture taking is the portico of the Chiesi di Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio. Though I've been there several times I had never noticed these padlocks hanging from the railings surrounding the steps.

Padlocks on the fence
So what was this? A new form of thank offering to the Saints for favours granted? A prayer token in the Chinese style? A whole lot of bike locks that had been left behind?

No to all three. These are lucchetti d'amore(padlocks of love) - the latest trend in declaring your undying love. Apparently the tradition (can something three years old be a tradition?) started on a lamp post at Ponte Milvio and now has spread to a more upscale neighbourhood. After writing names on the lock, you attach it the fence and then throw the key, as a symbol of your deathless passion, into the fountain.

Which one will the fountain choose?

15 ottobre - Santa Teresa d'Avila

5 comments:

sageweb said...

I just see a bunch of locks that I could use to lock my bike up with. Maybe it would be more sentimental if I had someone to lock in their love with.

Sling said...

I notice one fella has 3 locks hooked together!..pretty ambitious. :)

evilganome said...

I noticed it too. Are truples making their way to Italy?

As for that old queen Clifton Webb, all I really remember him for, aside from "Laura", was the Mr. Belvedere movies.

Elizabeth said...

Ha! I like that shot of the wonderfully uncrowded plaza in front of the fountain!

And re the locks, maybe people confused giving a lock of hair to show your love, with giving a lock to show your love.......

yellowdoggranny said...

i loved that movie..and for some silly reason this reminds me of a school play where we had to take a song and change it around and make it funny..i took the song 3 coins in a fountain..and changed it to '3 quarters in a dime machine, who'll get the extra nickle.'...
hey..i was only 9..