Tourist Damages 16th-Century Neptune Fountain in Florence

A 28-year-old visitor has been accused of vandalizing the Neptune fountain located in Florence's Piazza della Signoria. This incident occurred when she climbed the 16th-century marble statue to touch its genitals as part of a pre-wedding joke. The fountain, designed by Bartolomeo Ammannati and commissioned in 1559 by Cosimo I de' Medici to honor the marriage of his son Francesco I de' Medici to Joanna of Austria, showcases a basin with horses pulling a shell-shaped chariot beneath Neptune's statue. Authorities intervened after spotting her, and she confessed that it was a dare from friends. Experts from the city council discovered minor yet notable damage to the horses' legs and the frieze, estimating repair costs at €5,000. The woman faces charges for defacing an artistic asset. This incident is part of a troubling pattern; CCTV was installed in 2005 after a previous climber damaged the statue's hand, and in 2023, a German tourist also caused damage while taking a selfie. Giorgio Caselli, who oversees the city council's fine arts office, highlighted the increasing trend of visitors climbing monuments and urged for enhanced civic respect. Florence sees around 16 million tourists each year.