Tourist breaks a chunk off marble sea god’s chariot and cracks a horse’s hoof when going up 500-year-old Fountain of Neptune in Florence to take picture.

Tourist Damages Fountain of Neptune in Florence

A tourist’s reckless actions led to damage to the historic Fountain of Neptune in Florence. The 22-year-old German tourist, whose identity remains undisclosed, faces significant fines for his actions. While attempting to take a photo, he scaled the 500-year-old monument, resulting in a chunk breaking off the marble sea god’s chariot and cracking a horse’s hoof. The estimated cost of the damage is £4,272.

CCTV Footage Captures the Incident

Surveillance footage captured the incident, showing the tourist quickly approaching the Fountain of Neptune, situated in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria. He crossed the water and climbed onto the statue to pose for a photograph before making a hasty escape. The mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, shared a clip of the incident on social media. In his post, he highlighted that the city’s alarm system worked effectively, preventing further damage.

Identification and Consequences

Thanks to the municipality’s cameras, the tourist was identified within hours. The mayor confirmed that the individual would face a substantial fine for his actions. Nardella emphasized that there are no justifications for damaging cultural heritage.

The Fountain of Neptune

The Fountain of Neptune, also known as the Biancone (great white) due to the brilliance of its marble, was sculpted by Bartolomeo Ammannati and Giambologna between 1563 and 1565. It was created to commemorate the opening of a new aqueduct. The fountain features the sea god Neptune on a chariot drawn by four horses, surrounded by Tritons and marine divinities.

Ongoing Issue of Tourist Damage

This incident is the latest in a series of incidents involving tourists damaging Italian monuments in recent months. In July, a Swiss teenager carved her initials into the Colosseum in Rome, and earlier this year, another tourist defaced the same historic site. Italian authorities have been taking action to address these acts of vandalism, and public awareness campaigns emphasize the importance of preserving cultural heritage.