Perched along the Salento coast, the Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea has long captivated couples with its iconic stone arch, nestled in Italy’s “boot” region. For generations, this enchanting spot has been a backdrop for proposals, stolen kisses, and romantic celebrations.

According to local folklore, a kiss shared beneath this arch promises everlasting love.

Decades ago, Lorenzo Barlato, a local, chose the clifftop view of the arch to propose to his wife. The spot became a cherished venue for their anniversaries.

“I could hardly wait to return,” he shared on Facebook following the arch’s collapse on Saturday.

“Now, sadly, I have only the beautiful memories captured in photos of that piece of paradise.”

The arch’s allure has led to a flourishing of hotels and resorts in the vicinity, many of which bear its name to honor its charm.

Warmer sea temperatures as a result of climate change are seen as a factor in driving the extreme weather that battered the arch, which had already been damaged by Cyclone Harry in January.

But concern over the landmark’s fragility goes back years.

In 2024, local authorities applied for a $4.5 million grant to fund a preservation project to combat coastal erosion, but failed to secure the money, according to Cisternino.

“It’s a tragedy we knew was inevitable, we just didn’t expect it to happen so soon,” he told local media on Sunday.

He told CNN that “nature has reclaimed the arch, just as it created it,” and said that resources were needed to tackle the situation along the coast.

“Nature has been transformed: what was there 30 years ago is no longer there.”

The collapse follows weeks of violent storms across southern Italy.

In Sicily, a landslide recently saw houses fall into a ravine in the town of Niscemi.

Widespread flooding has taken the lives of several people, including a man who died when his home collapsed near Rome last week.

Now gone, the remnants of the arch will be left to wash out at sea, the municipality says.

“It’s like a funeral,” Puglia tourism councillor Francesco Stella said Sunday of what was once one of the happiest places in Italy.

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