A tourist in Florence, Italy has sparked outrage recently after she was filmed simulating a sexual act with a Roman statue.
The statue was that of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and excess, the equivalent to the Greek god Dionysus.
This incident, totally disrespectful to the Italians and to everyone who admires the Roman world, took place near the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge of the beautiful Italian metropolis.
Florence statue incident condemned
Images of the woman who allegedly committed the disrespectful act on the statue in Florence have been circulating on social media for days now.
The identity as well as the nationality of the individual remain unknown, however, speculation on social media has gone wild. The woman can be clearly seen climbing on the 16th-century statue of sculptor Giambologna. The statue is a bronze replica of an older, Roman statue. The woman has been seen mimicking intimate behaviour and acts, probably thinking that this behaviour would be seen as a joke.
However, residents of Florence and people from all over Italy and beyond started expressing their utter disgust at the disrespectful act. This incident has been seen by many as extremely rude and disrespectful to the culture and heritage of a proud nation like Italy.
“This is the result of years of attempts at turning Florence into Disneyland,” one local commented on Facebook, showing the level of annoyance that locals feel because of the disrespectful behaviour of some tourists. Another social media user stated “My goodness, the level of stupidity.”
Patrizia Asproni is the president of the Confcultura association. This organisation promotes the cultural heritage of Italy and tries to preserve high standards in the level of services that Italian cultural sites offer. Asproni said that these “repeated shows of rudeness and barbarity” take place because people feel they can act with impunity. Asproni said that Italy should adopt a much stricter policy, similar to that of Singapore for example, where people who are disrespectful in public face hefty fines and other penalties.
Florence, Italy’s cultural gem
The beautiful city of Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region, one of Italy’s most breathtaking regions.
Florence is a city exceptionally blessed by history, art, and culture; it could be described as Italy’s cultural gem.
Firenze, as the Italians call this city, has been known as the birthplace of the Renaissance for centuries. Florence is home to some of the most beautiful, fascinating and iconic masterpieces that continue to captivate millions of people today.
These include the statue of David by Michelangelo and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. The city is full of charm and beautiful medieval architecture. Its stunning structures can only be surpassed by one of its own: the magnificent Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Virgin Mary of the Flowers), which is also known as the Duomo.
This monumental temple took over 140 years to build and is one of Italy’s most well-known Christian churches, along with St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. Florence’s entire historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a proud title that not many places in the world can claim.
