Tourists vandalize, damage of more than 60 thousand euros to the Spanish Steps in Rome

It really has no peace, the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps ) in Rome. In the space of just a month, there have been two serious episodes on the scenic 18th-century staircase that closes Piazza di Spagna by connecting it to the Trinità dei Monti church, designed between 1723 and 1726 by Roman architect Francesco De Sanctis. In May, a Saudi engineer driving a Maserati drove his car down the steps, later attempting to exonerate himself by blaming the “fault” on the navigator who had shown him the wrong way: video surveillance footage, however, established that the 37-year-old tourist had not stopped after realizing he had taken a wrong turn, but had stopped to take photographs and then continued down the hill in his two-ton car, only to speed back up the other ramp (it was during the ascent that he caused the most serious damage). For the Arab engineer a complaint for damage to monumental property.

This past week, on the other hand, Local Police stopped an American tourist couple, 28 years old she and 29 he, who overnight, around 2:45 a.m. on June 8, purposely threw a scooter down the staircase: the two had in fact rented two vehicles in sharing mode and demanded to ride the two-wheeled vehicle down the staircase. The man, after walking down a few steps, got off his electric scooter, while the woman probably thought she could save time ... by flying the scooter down the steps. For the two fined 800 euros and an urban banishment, and for the young woman, the perpetrator of the gesture, also a complaint for damage to monumental property.

The damage caused by the Saudi and the two Americans, reports Repubblica, amounts to 46 thousand and 25 thousand euros, respectively. In fact, the two improper gestures caused chipping, nicks and abrasions to many of the travertine steps of the staircase, which will have to be repaired. One step also suffered a detachment of a portion of material of about ten centimeters. The damage assessment was made by the Capitoline Superintendence’s technicians, who carefully analyzed each and every step of the staircase. And to think that the staircase had been restored only five years ago, with a 1.5 million euro investment by the Bulgari fashion house.

Now countermeasures are being considered in Rome. A ban on sitting on the steps was introduced in August 2019, but this is clearly not enough. There is now talk of installing car bollards: it won’t prevent scooter launches, but it may be an effective means against Arabs driving big cars taking the steps for their car-pit chute. Rome Superintendent Cinzia Esposito, speaking to Repubblica, affirms her opposition to fencing: “admiring it,” she explains, “means always being able to have free access to it.” What is needed, if anything, are timely controls: there is already a security system with cameras filming the monument 24 hours a day, but they are not enough to stop inconsiderate tourists. Esposito suggests extending mobile controls, “and thus prevent these forms of hooliganism from taking place,” and in the case of further similar incidents a vigilante garrison should be considered.

Tourists vandalize, damage of more than 60 thousand euros to the Spanish Steps in Rome

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