In Florence, Italy, a 28-year-old tourist is being prosecuted for damaging the historic Neptune Fountain during a bachelorette party on the night of April 18-19. She allegedly climbed the monument on Piazza della Signoria after a dare from friends to touch the statue's intimate parts, causing an estimated €5,000 in damages to the horses' legs and a decorative frieze. This follows a similar incident in September 2023, when a 22-year-old German tourist caused €5,000 in damage to the same fountain while posing for photos.
This case underscores the ongoing problem of reckless tourist behavior damaging Italy's cultural heritage, despite recent legal crackdowns that impose fines of up to €60,000 for monument vandalism. The Neptune Fountain, a 16th-century masterpiece by Bartolomeo Ammannati commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici, was restored between 2016 and 2019 at a cost of €1.5 million, funded by Salvatore Ferragamo through Italy's Art Bonus program. Each incident forces authorities to divert resources toward repairs and increased surveillance, highlighting the tension between tourism revenue and heritage preservation.