A Tourist Damaged This Famous Landmark In Italy And Locals Are Furious

No matter how many reckless acts of vandalism that have come before, the ever-so-aptly named "tourons" (a derogatory term describing a tourist-come-moron) still never fail to astonish with their total disregard for cultural heritage. Whether it's getting dangerously close to natural hazards or damaging ancient landmarks, they continue to cross the line. The latest instance of this baffling behavior was a tourist damaging part of a famous 16th-century marble fountain in Florence.

The woman, who remains unnamed, was visiting Florence on a bachelorette party. In response to a pre-wedding dare from her entourage, she climbed the ancient Fountain of Neptune, which stands in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria, one of the must-visit spots in Florence. A Renaissance masterpiece, the fountain was created by sculptor Bartolomeo Ammannati after being commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici in 1559. It's one of Florence's most photographed landmarks. After climbing over the protective fence, she continued to step onto the horses in an attempt to touch the statue. Somewhat predictably, she slipped, causing nearly $6,000 worth of damage to both the horses and a decorative frieze. The woman was removed by local police and charged with damaging an artistic and architectural monument. She is currently awaiting judgement from Italian authorities.

This is just the latest incident where famous landmarks are damaged, in a trend sometimes referred to as "selfie tourism." This kind of behavior is understandably a growing concern with both local residents and authorities. "Perhaps because they don't live in the city, they consider it more of a game," said Georgio Caselli from Florence City Council's fine art office, via The Guardian. "The physical contact that is sought with the monument is far from the objective, emotional and intellectual [awareness] that we expect and favor towards our monumental heritage."

Full of outstanding architecture and world-class museums, Florence is an art lover's dream destination. Iconic landmarks like Florence Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio, Michelangelo's David, and the Uffizi Gallery mean it's also popular with just about everyone else. Like Rome and Venice, Florence has also suffered from overtourism in recent years. The walkable city center, low-cost airlines, and short-term rentals have drawn in close to 16 million visitors a year, putting pressure on the infrastructure and fuelling frustration among residents. 

In response, Florence authorities have laid out stricter tourist laws, including fines for sitting, eating, or climbing on monuments. Visitors should be aware tourist taxes, day visit fees, and controlled access zones have also been put in place. Despite this, some tourists continue to damage historic landmarks around Florence. The long-suffering Fountain of Neptune has been repeatedly targeted. One incident in the early 2000s saw a tourist climb Neptune, breaking his hand and damaging the chariot. This led to CCTV installation, although it didn't serve as a deterrent as yet another tourist caused damage when climbing the statue to take a selfie in 2023.

At the Uffizi Gallery in 2025, a 300-year-old painting was ripped when a visitor fell while trying to create a meme. Museum director Simone Verde warned against the rise of selfie tourism via The Guardian, stating, "The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media is rampant." The pattern is the same across other Italian cities, with one touron infamously carving his and his girlfriend's initials into a wall at the Colosseum in Rome in 2023. To combat this rising trend, make sure you are always respectful of monuments, local culture, and protected areas when visiting other countries.