Well, here’s another one. A group of young German tourists recently took things to the extreme for the sake of Instagram fame.
They ended up causing damage to a valuable statue at a villa in northern Italy. Bruno Golferini, the villa’s manager, confirmed the incident.
In addition, two of the group of tourists allegedly even climbed into a fountain to hug the statue called “Domina,” made by artist Enrico Butti.
The significant work showcases Butti's artistic prowess and his ability to capture emotion and form in his sculptures.
While getting their images, another person used a stick to give the statue a push and the 1.70-meter-tall artwork came crashing down.
Young German tourists toppled the 150-year-old statue 'Domina' by Enrico Butti, valued at around $218,000, as they climbed into a fountain to hug the work, said the manager of Villa Alceo https://t.co/D0X924mzdT pic.twitter.com/qOmVa5tf71
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 4, 2023
When the group was confronted about paying for the repairs, they came up with a pretty lame excuse. They said the statue was made of sand and offered only a tiny amount for the repairs.
Unsurprisingly, the owner of the villa wasn’t having any of it and reported it as vandalism. Golferini filed an official complaint with the local police against all 17 members of the German tourist group who had rented the villa.
The complaint, which was submitted to the Carabinieri (the local police), demanded that the group fully cover the costs of fixing the damage and all other the related expenses.
The unfortunate damage inflicted on the art piece will necessitate careful restoration efforts. The work of art may never regain its original state fully.
Unfortunately, the group of tourists responsible for the incident had already left Italy by the time the consequences of their actions were discovered.
However, the entire incident was caught on the villa’s surveillance cameras, providing evidence of the vandalisation.
The statue in question, with a history spanning 150 years, held an estimated value of around R4,178,119.37 (200 00 euros).
Additionally, the group of 17 tourists involved has faced strong criticism and condemnation. The country’s deputy prime minister went so far as to denounce them as “imbeciles,” expressing clear disapproval of their actions.
This serves as a reminder that as tourists, we need to show respect when visiting special places and consider the consequences of our actions, especially when we’re chasing after likes and shares online.