German tourists suspected of defacing historic Italian landmark with graffiti
In the latest installment of tourists behaving badly, two German men are suspected of defacing of the 460-year-old Vasari Corridor in Florence, Italy.
A riverside passageway that connects the Uffizi Galleries to the Pitti Palace, the Vasari Corridor was built in 1565 by Renaissance painter and architect Giorgio Vasari. The half-mile corridor displays works of art from the 16th and 17th centuries. It is a significant cultural and historical landmark and popular tourist attraction.
Two German tourists are accused of spray-painting the name of a German soccer club onto pillars outside of the building, according to Italian news source ANSA.
The tourists, who are 20 and 21 years old, were among a group of 11 students staying at an Airbnb in the center of the city, according to a statement sent by the military police to CNN.
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'Shameful' vandalism
The graffiti was noticed early Wednesday morning and promptly investigated by Italy’s Carabinieri military police, according to a statement released by Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano.
In a Facebook post shared by Florence Mayor Dario Nardella, black paint that appears to read “DKS1860” can be seen sprayed across seven of the corridor’s columns in what Nardella called a “shameful” act of vandalism.
Sanguiliano agreed, calling the graffiti an act of “very serious vandalism.” He also called for swift and harsh punishment that would remind any would-be vandals of the future that “even a small scratch” to places of national heritage will be prosecuted.
The same day, Sangiuliano released another statement commending the Carabinieri for promptly identifying the suspects and promised an investigation and prosecution would ensue.
Nardella also shared what appeared to be stills of the accused vandals captured on CCTV, saying the footage allowed authorities to identify those responsible in a matter of hours.
'Detestable'
Uffizi Gallery Director Eike Schmidt called the act “detestable” in his own statement, calling for the “hard fist of the law” to come down on the perpetrators.
“Clearly this is not a drunken whim, but a premeditated act,’’ he said.
The Ministry of Culture estimated the cost of the repairs at 10,000 euros, or roughly $10,811 USD. The ministry intends to pursue legal action against the tourists, which may include financial restitution, Sangiuliano said.
Italy is currently in the process of passing an “eco-vandalism” law, which would impose heavy penalties on anyone who defaces Italy’s cultural assets, including fines between €10,000 to €60,000.
Sangiuliano said in a statement that the bill has already been approved by the Senate and is expected to be okayed by the chamber and officially passed after the legislative summer break.
Tourists behaving badly
This is just the latest example of tourists misbehaving at landmarks and sites of historic significance.
Last week, a video taken of a tourist climbing across Rome’s Trevi Fountain to fill her water bottle went viral, sparking the internet's outrage. Considered a late Baroque masterpiece, the historic site is one of Rome's most revered symbols.
Another set of tourists were busted last week in Paris after sleeping inside the Eiffel Tower after a night of drinking.
And in June, an English tourist was filmed carving a note into the Colosseum in Rome. The man, later identified as 27-year-old Ivan Danailov Dimitrov, apologized for his actions in a letter claiming that he was unaware of how ancient the 2,000-year-old amphitheater was when he defaced it.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Italy's Vasari Corridor vandalized with soccer graffiti by tourists
