SNS 인증샷 150년 伊조각상 박살…독일 관광객은 귀국→ SNS 인증샷 150-year-old Italian Sculpture Shattered... German Tourist Returns Home

Statue Worth 283 Million Won
"Not Influencers but Fools"

German tourists have sparked controversy after breaking a 150-year-old statue while trying to take a commemorative photo at a villa in northern Italy.

According to the American online media outlet The Messenger on the 4th (local time), a group of 17 German tourists recently stayed at Villa Alecco, where the Domina statue is located. The Domina statue is a work created about 150 years ago by artist Enrico Butti and is valued at $218,000 (approximately 283 million KRW).

[Image source=European daily newspaper La Stampa TikTok account]

Two members of the group ignored the no-entry rule and entered the fountain to take photos with the statue in the center. As they posed hugging the statue, it ultimately could not withstand the weight and collapsed into pieces.

Bruno Golferini, the manager of Villa Alecco, lamented, "The Domina statue symbolizes the protection of the villa," adding, "The tourists did not follow the no-entry order for the fountain." Golferini also mentioned that since the statue broke into several pieces, repair seems difficult.

Notably, the group reportedly included a famous influencer, which fueled greater public outrage. Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, criticized on Instagram, saying, "Call them fools, not influencers."

The tourists returned to Germany after the incident. However, the villa owner has requested a police investigation based on CCTV footage from the scene.

[Image source=European daily newspaper La Stampa TikTok account]

This is not the first incident of heritage damage caused by tourists. Last month, a Canadian teenager visiting Japan was investigated by police for damaging a UNESCO World Heritage temple.

Similarly, in June, a British man was investigated for damaging cultural heritage after carving his and his girlfriend’s names into the bricks of the 2,000-year-old Colosseum wall in Rome, Italy.

Facing the risk of a hefty fine from Italian authorities, the man realized the seriousness of the situation and sent apology letters to the Mayor of Rome and the prosecutor’s office.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.