The famous stone structure in Italy, called the "Gate of Love" or "Arch of Love", collapsed into the sea on February 14, Valentine's Day, due to several days of heavy rain and strong winds.
The rock formation in Sant'Andrea in Melendunjo, in Apulia, was a tourist attraction on the Adriatic coast, with many getting engaged or taking selfies there.
"This is an unwanted Valentine's Day gift," the heartbroken mayor of Melenduno told local media.
"This is a very heavy blow" for the region and for tourism, he added.
"Nature made the bow and took it back for herself," he concluded.
Passersby were the first to notice on the morning of February 15 that the area's famous natural landmark was no longer there.
Officials suggest that a powerful storm called Oriana and heavy rainfall, which hit southern Italy in recent days, accelerated the erosion of the rock, causing it to collapse.
"We have lost one of the characteristics of our region, our symbol," the regional president of Puglia, Antonio Decaro, told reporters, touring the site that until recently was a major tourist attraction.
"Unfortunately, natural processes are often accelerated by meteorological phenomena, such as Storm Oriana," he said.
Decaro said authorities should make sure to try to slow coastal erosion.
The Salento region, where this natural, rocky arch was located, is one of the most popular tourist areas in Italy.
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