Many of the people – lovers and love-seekers alike – who visit these locations believe that they can find in these places, their desire for timeless, undying love. Intertwined in the history of these places are legends that colour these love narratives. Spread across three continents from Mexico, to New York, to Italy and on to Taiwan; the unrelenting quest of humans to love and be loved remains the same wherever they may be found.
Consider the 6.
1. Alley of the Kiss, in Plaza de Los Ángeles, Guanajuato, Mexico. Where one alleyway kiss brings 15 years of romantic luck
People literally line up to kiss in the same alleyway as the local legendary lovers – Ana and Carlos. Legend has it that Ana was a rich Spaniard who lived on the balcony to the left of the alley, while Carlos was a poor miner who worked in the nearby mine of Valenciana.
One night, Ana’s father caught them kissing in the narrow space between the two balconies, and her father angrily threatened that if the same thing happened again the following night, he would kill her.
The next night, the couple kissed again, and the father went up to the balcony, came behind his daughter and buried a dagger in her. Some stories say that as Carlos jumped to protect Ana, he fell to the ground and broke his neck, landing on the third step (the one coloured red in the picture).
To pay tribute to them, lovers flock to this ste in Mexico, so that they might find true love too.
2. Cornell University Suspension Bridge, Ithaca, New York, USA where you need to kiss on a suspension bridge or it collapses
Legend has it that if a female student refuses a kiss on this bridge, the bridge will collapse beneath their feet into the gorge. Another legend says that if a couple walk around the entire perimeter of a lake encircling the bridge while holding hands, the two are destined to be engaged.
Even though some say that if the lovers refuse to kiss on the bridge, it collapses under their feet; it has never collapsed! It could also be that no loving couple has ever passed up the opportunity to kiss here!!
3. Juliet’s wall, Verona, Italy where you write letters to her so that she may grant you eternal love
Every year, thousands of people leave a letter for Shakespeare’s unfortunate heroine in his play Romeo and Juliet, Juliet Capulet, at her imaginary home in Verona, Italy. They write her in hopes that she will grant them eternal, undying love.
4. Mount Huangang, China where you climb a peak and put a padlock on a bridge
At the highest peak of this majestic mountain in China – Mount Huangshuan which is 1000 meters high – lovers hike up to the top and put padlocks on the guard chains present there to prevent people from falling. Lovers then throw the key into the cliff, sealing their love forever.
5. Paying respects to St. Valentine in Dublin, Ireland
St. Valentine is buried in Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, and on Valentine’s Day, lovers and love-seekers flock there to pay homage at his burial place. They believe in doing so, their romantic luck will be changed and the long sought love will arrive in no time.
6. Taipei Xiahai Temple, Taiwan
Many believe that this Taiwanese temple will help them to find their significant other. They will have to be serious about their quest though, since luck is only granted to those who carry out multiple rituals that include offering sugar to the gods, lighting a candle, and eating a wedding cookie.
See Also: The Bridge Where Sweethearts Profess their Undying Love
