A 28-year-old tourist has been charged after damaging Florence's historic Fountain of Neptune during a pre-wedding challenge. The woman climbed the 16th-century monument to touch the statue, causing an estimated €5,000 in damage to the marble horses at its base.
A tourist visiting Florence has been charged after damaging the city's historic Fountain of Neptune by climbing onto the centuries‑old monument in what authorities described as a pre‑wedding challenge. One of Florence's most well-known public squares, Piazza della Signoria, was the scene of the event, which caused damage estimated by municipal officials at €5,000 (₹5,53,090).
The 28-year-old lady, whose country has not been revealed, was seen by municipal police on April 18 when she scaled a barrier that surrounded the fountain. Before any damage could be done, officers swiftly stepped in and led her away from the monument.
The tourist informed police that friends had challenged her to touch the statue's intimate areas as part of a pre-wedding prank, according to a statement released by Florence's municipal council. She went straight onto the marble horses that make up the base of the fountain in order to escape going into the water. According to the statement, "her intention was to 'touch' the private parts of the statue for a sort of pre-wedding challenge."
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After inspection by specialists from the Fabbrica di Palazzo Vecchio, the body responsible for maintaining the site, it was found that “minor but significant damage” was caused to the horses' legs and to a decorative frieze that the tourist had grabbed to keep from slipping. The woman's defacement of an artistic and architectural cultural item has been reported to the appropriate authorities. She is deemed innocent until a verdict is rendered, officials said.
Cosimo I de' Medici commissioned the 16th-century artist Bartolomeo Ammannati to design the Fountain of Neptune in 1559 to honour a royal marriage. It is still a popular tourist destination and one of Florence's most identifiable features. However, this is not the first time the fountain has suffered damage.
After a tourist climbed the statue in 2005 and shattered Neptune's hand, officials added security cameras. When taking a selfie in 2023, a German visitor inflicted comparable harm. Stunts involving ancient sites are getting more frequent, according to Florence officials. Climbing monuments as part of challenges is a sign of a rising disrespect for cultural heritage, Giorgio Caselli, head of the city council's fine arts division, told The Guardian.
