In Italy, the Lovers' Arch no longer exists: it collapsed on the evening of Valentine's Day

©Lucie van Beek via Unsplash

The Sant' Andrea Arch in Salento no longer exists: On Valentine's Day evening, one of Puglia's most iconic wonders, known as the 'Lovers' Arch' in Melendugno (province of Lecce), collapsed under the weight of the sea storms and heavy rain that battered southern Italy.

Yet another victim of climate change and irresponsible land management.

"It's a blow to the heart," Maurizio Cisternino, mayor of Melendugno, told La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno. "One of the most famous tourist sites on our coast and in the whole of Italy is disappearing. [...] It's a tragedy we knew was inevitable, but we didn't expect it to happen so soon."

The collapse was caused by the sea storms and heavy rain of recent days, the latest hitting on Valentine's Day evening. It's a tragedy not just for tourism, but above all for history and the landscape. According to experts, this is the most significant damage caused by coastal erosion in Salento.

"No - we reiterate emphatically - this is not due to 'bad weather', this disaster is yet another consequence of climate change and careless land management: a deadly combination that destroys landscapes and kills human beings and animals."

And it's largely man's fault.

Sources: La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno / Cammino del Salento/Facebook / Comune di Melendugno/Facebook

(©GreenMe.it 2026/Managing editor: Julie Morgan - The Press Junction/Picture: Lucie van Beek via Unsplash)