Italy's famous Lovers' Arch collapses into the sea on Valentine's Day

[riversedge]

Last edited Mon Feb 16, 2026, 11:24 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: the guardian

Rock structure which served as backdrop to countless proposals disappears into the Adriatic after storm
Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo Mon 16 Feb 2026 04.48 EST

The rocky arch, one of the best-known natural landmarks on the Adriatic coast, got its name as it served as a backdrop for wedding proposals, selfies and postcards, and was one of the most recognisable symbols of the Salento, one of Italy’s most heavily visited tourist areas.

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According to local authorities, strong winds, rough seas and intense rainfall in recent days progressively weakened the rock structure until its final collapse on Saturday. It is the most significant damage inflicted by coastal erosion on the landscape of the Salento.

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Mediterranean cyclones, known as medicanes, include Cyclone Harry which struck in January, have been devastating ports, homes and roads, reshaping the structure of coastlines. Medicanes are warm-core systems that are becoming increasingly frequent in the Mediterranean, driven by rising sea temperatures linked to the climate emergency.

“With the Mediterranean [experiencing] among its hottest years on record in 2025, warmer seas are supercharging the atmosphere and fuelling extreme events,” said Christian Mulder, a professor of ecology and climate emergency at the University of Catania in Sicily....................


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/16/italy-lovers-arch-puglia-collapse-adriatic-sea-valentines-day?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

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Maybe this devastating event will convince some people there is a #climatecrisis!!

Italy’s famous Lovers’ Arch collapses into the sea on Valentine’s Day

Rock structure which served as backdrop to countless proposals disappears into the Adriatic after storm
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

— (@oceancalm.bsky.social) 2026-02-16T13:36:44.954Z

The famous arch of the sea stacks at Sant’Andrea in Melendugno, Puglia, Italy, popularly known as Lovers’ Arch, collapsed on Valentine’s Day after strong storm surges and heavy rain swept across southern Italy.

[milestogo]

1. Darwin's Arch (in the Galapagos Islands) collapsed a few years ago.

Nothing lasts forever.

[Historic NY]

2. OOPS!!

[MiHale]

3. Collapse happens...Pictured Rocks in Michigan...

has had its share. Nothing is forever.

[IronLionZion]

4. Metaphor for love itself disappearing from this world

[peppertree]

7. Sad - but true

It's all "how much money do you think he - or his family - has?" these days.

Can't say I blame them really.

[OGBuzz]

5. Hope nobody was under it when it went.

[peppertree]

6. In other news, Italian birth rates fell to all-time lows - despite Meloni's attempts to encourage more births...

From the Financial Times:

Just 370,000 babies were born in Italy in 2024, about 10,000 fewer than last year and well below the half a million born a decade ago, according to figures published by Italy’s national statistics agency Istat on Monday. It was the 16th consecutive year of falling births.

Italy’s demographic woes last year were also exacerbated by a sudden emigration “boom” — with 191,000 Italians relocating abroad in 2024 — a sharp 20.5 per cent rise over the previous year, Istat reported.

Italians are voting with their feet. And i bambini aren't part of the equation.

[Crowman2009]

8. Well worldwide kids are expensive...

...and nobody wants to struggle like when they were younger. Especially if they lived in a large dysfunction household where food shortages were common. Not to mention that the job market is highly unstable. On a side note, fashi Meloni can go f*** herself.

[peppertree]

9. That's a fact

My mom, now 73, would often rib me a little for "never having given me a grandbaby" - to which I'd always say the same thing: Even if I had lottery winnings, I would never bring a child into this world.

When Needy Amin was returned to office, she finally admitted that I'd been right.

[BattleRow]

10. Speakng of Valentine related issue..thanks for Valentine hearts !

[PufPuf23]

11. Aruba's Natural Bridge collapsed in 2005.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruba_Natural_Bridge

[maxsolomon]

12. All things must pass away

We have no choice but to accept it.

[GJGCA]

13. St Louis, RU listening...?

Let's hope St. Louisians aren't skimping on maintenance...

In 1984, structural engineer Tibor Szegezdy told Smithsonian Magazine that the Arch could stand "considerably less than a thousand years" before collapsing in a wind storm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Arch