A fragment of the tusk from Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s 17th-century elephant sculpture in Rome’s Piazza della Minerva was discovered broken off and lying on the ground. Local authorities and police are currently reviewing security footage to determine if the damage to the marble work was caused by intentional vandalism or recent heavy rainfall.
This incident highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Italy's outdoor cultural heritage to both environmental factors and public interference. While Italy’s culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, has condemned the event as an act of barbarity, officials noted that the damaged section was actually a 1977 restoration piece rather than the original 1667 material, underscoring the complex history of maintaining ancient monuments in active urban spaces.