A tourist damaged the Fountain of Neptune in Florence, — The Guardian
In Florence, law enforcement officials charged a 28-year-old tourist after she climbed onto the historic Fountain of Neptune in Piazza della Signoria and touched the sculpture as part of a pre-wedding prank.
The Guardian reports on this.
The incident occurred near the monument, created in the 16th century by sculptor Bartolomeo Ammannati. The composition is part of the city’s historical heritage and includes figures of horses and a statue of Neptune.
According to police, the woman was quickly removed from the monument. She explained her actions by saying that her friends had allegedly encouraged her to touch part of the statue.
After an inspection, experts determined that elements of the sculptural composition were damaged during the incident. Although the damage was assessed as minor, the cost of restoration will amount to approximately 5,000 euros.
City officials strongly condemned the tourist’s behavior, emphasizing that physical contact with cultural heritage sites is unacceptable.
According to city hall representatives, such actions demonstrate a lack of respect for historical monuments and cannot go unpunished.
This is not the first time the Neptune Fountain has been damaged: tourists have previously caused damage to the sculpture while attempting to take photos or climb the monument.
Previously, a tourist from Scotland, Moira Boxell, accidentally brought a python back from her vacation in Australia.
