Tourist’s ‘pre-wedding challenge’ damages historic Florence statue
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- A 28-year-old woman caused thousands of dollars in damage to the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune in Florence during a bachelorette party by climbing on the monument and touching the statue as part of a pre-wedding challenge.
- The woman climbed over a railing and onto the statue's horse figures, causing damage estimated at 5,000 euros ($5,845) to the legs of the horses and a frieze she grabbed to avoid slipping.
- Authorities reported her to the Judicial Authority for defacing an artistic and architectural asset, while emphasizing her presumption of innocence until a final judgment.
- The Fountain of Neptune, commissioned in 1559 by Cosimo I de Medici, has been previously damaged by tourists, including incidents in 2005 and 2023, leading to the installation of security cameras.
