A tourist who used a key to carve his name and that of his girlfriend into the Colosseum in Rome in late June says he did not know how ancient the monument was.
In a letter addressed to Rome’s public prosecutor, mayor and the city, he admitted “with very deep embarrassment” that he only learned how ancient the monument was after his act.
His act of vandalism was filmed by another tourist and made the rounds on social networks, enabling Italian police to identify the 31-year-old, who lives in the UK. He faces a heavy fine at the very least.
The administrative body that manages the Colosseum has lodged a complaint.
The man’s lawyer told Roman newspaper Il Messaggero that his client was “the very example of the foreigner who thinks everything is allowed in Italy, even what would be severely punished in his own country”.
In the letter, the man said he was aware of the seriousness of the act he had committed and offered his “sincerest apologies” to Italians and the whole world for the damage caused “to a monument belonging to the heritage of mankind.”
The Roman amphitheatre, almost 2,000 years old, is one of Italy’s most popular tourist attractions, with several million visitors every year. It is also a symbol of the Eternal City.
Built in the 1st century AD, the Colosseum hosted circus games and gladiatorial combats during the Roman Empire.
