A 28-year-old foreign tourist has been reported to authorities after damaging Florence’s historic Neptune Fountain - known locally as “Il Biancone” - in Piazza della Signoria during a premarital dare.
According to local police, the woman climbed over both the protective railing and the fountain’s edge before scaling the statue itself. Her apparent goal was to touch the statue’s private parts as part of a “bachelorette challenge.”
To avoid getting into the water, she climbed directly onto the marble horses supporting the central structure, using decorative elements for balance. Municipal police quickly intervened and escorted her out of the fountain.
The stunt resulted in what officials described as “minor but significant damage,” estimated at around €5,000. The harm includes marks on the horses’ legs - where the tourist walked - and damage to a decorative frieze she grabbed to avoid slipping.
The fountain, created by Bartolomeo Ammannati in the 16th century, is one of Florence’s most iconic landmarks. The woman now faces charges for damaging a protected cultural heritage site.