Idiot tourist causes £4k damage climbing up historic landmark for selfie

06 September 2023 , 20:08

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Idiot tourist causes £4k damage climbing up historic landmark for selfie

A blundering tourist knocked a chunk off Florence's Fountain of Neptune while scaling it to pose for a selfie.

The German national, 22, who has not been named, will be slapped with a massive fine for clambering up the 16th Century monument of the marble sea god and cracking a horse's hoof, causing £4,272-worth of damage.

In grainy CCTV footage, the man is seen racing towards the fountain in the centre of the Piazza della Signoria, before wading through the water and leaping up on to the statue to grab a snap. After capturing his idiotic moment, he is then seen running away.

Within hours, the tourist had been tracked down. The city's mayor said: "Thanks to the Municipality's cameras he was identified and will pay a heavy fine. There are no justifications against vandalism of cultural heritage."

The fountain - which was sculpted between 1563 and 1565 by Bartolomeo Ammannati and Giambologna - is known as the Biancone (Great White) due to the shining nature of its pearly marble. The sculpture features the Roman god of the ocean, Neptune, on a chariot drawn by four horses. Three young tritons and four figures representing ocean spirits surround the carriage.

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The 22-year-old tourist caused over £4,000-worth of damage (@DarioNardella/Twitter)

A number of similar incidents have been recorded in Italy over recent months. In July, a Swiss girl, 17, was investigated after being caught on CCTV defacing the Roman Colosseum. In a video of the incident, the girl - whose face has been blurred - is seen vandalising the ancient ruins before she notices that she's been caught red handed and stops.

Italian tour guide David Battaglino - who filmed the act - said: "It is the first time I have managed to film an act of vandalism at the Colosseum but in six years I have seen dozens. There are also those who rip off parts of the wall. They even spat on me once for scolding a boy."

Another vandal, from Bristol, begged Italy for forgiveness after he was caught carrying out the same idiotic vandalism on the 2,000-year-old building. Ivan Dimitrov, 27, who lives with his girlfriend Hayley Bracey, 33, scribbled both of their names into the ancient stone - but were caught in the act by a furious tourist. The pair were spending time in the Italian capital during a three-week trip across Europe.

Italy's Carabinieri tracked them down by combing CCTV evidence and hotel records, pinpointing them in Bulgaria. Carabinieri spokesman and Major Roberto Martina, revealed that after discussing the incident, Dimitrov - who also goes by Ivan Hawkins - shared his "sincere remorse" for his wanton actions.

Ryan Fahey