From selfie to destruction: see cases in which historic landmarks were disrespected by tourists | Tourism and Travel

See other cases below.

German tourist damages 16th century statue in Italy

He broke off a piece of marble when he climbed onto the fountain’s centerpiece, a giant statue of Neptune, the god of the seas in Greek mythology. When the man was leaving the fountain, he broke another part of the statue, the horse’s hoof.

The damage was around R$27,000 and the visitor had to pay a fine.

Tourist vandalizes the Colosseum in Rome

The tourist later apologized for the act of vandalism in a letter, arguing that he was not aware of the age of the monument. “I admit with deep embarrassment that it was only after the regrettable incident that I learned about the antiquity of the monument.”

After this case, two other similar cases happened at the Coliseum. On July 17, a 17-year-old German student was seen doodling on the wall. Days earlier, on July 14, a Swiss teenager of the same age was filmed carving her initial into the monument.

The Colosseum is a building built between the 70s and 80s AD, during the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest symbols of Ancient Rome and one of the most famous monuments in the world.

The place hosted several events, but the most famous were the gladiator fights (there were also simulations of famous battles and hunts). The place housed more than 50 thousand people.

Tourist climbs pyramid in Mexico and is arrested

In the images, it is possible to see the tourist being threatened and beaten by other visitors. After spending 12 hours in detention, the tourist was released and had to pay a fine of 5,000 Mexican pesos (about R$1,360).

The pyramid is the temple of Kukulcán, the main attraction of Chichén Itzá, which was a pre-Columbian city built by the Mayan civilization. The monument, one of the most famous tourist attractions in Mexico, began construction in the 6th century AD and was completed in the 9th century AD

The man was not carrying a passport when he was discovered by employees of the archaeological zone and was apparently under the effects of some substance that affected his behavior.

The tourist, of American nationality, was investigated for “attacking public morals”said the source, but was released less than 24 hours later.

The Prosecutor’s Office decided to release the tourist and a companion who was traveling with him after paying 5,000 Egyptian pounds (around US$300) each, as announced in a statement.

In August, two people spent an entire night in an area restricted to the public at the Eiffel Tower, in France. They were sleeping when they were discovered by a security guard early in the morning, according to the Radio France Internationale (RFI) news agency.

According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, the American tourists “remained trapped there because they were drunk.” The prosecution specifies that no damage was observed at the site and that a fine for trespassing on a historic or cultural site was dismissed. The Police Command declined to comment on the case.