A 28-year-old tourist in Florence climbed the Neptune Fountain in Piazza della Signoria and caused €5,000 ($5,800) in damage while attempting to touch the statue's genitals as part of a pre-wedding challenge. Police intervened, and specialists from the Fabbrica di Palazzo Vecchio later found damage to a horse's legs and a frieze. The woman has been reported to judicial authorities but is presumed innocent until a verdict.
This incident highlights the ongoing struggle European cities, especially in Italy, face in protecting cultural heritage from overtourism and reckless social-media-driven stunts. It follows a pattern of similar acts, including a car on the Spanish Steps and a tourist damaging a museum chair, underscoring the urgent need for better safeguards at historic sites.