On opposite sides of the world, last week’s news included serious damage to two historic monuments, in one case from a self-absorbed tourist, and in the other by a construction crew trying to save time.
In Florence, Italy, a 22-year-old German visitor climbed the central figure of the Neptune fountain to pose for a picture, breaking off part of Neptune’s chariot and part of a horse at its base. Damage was estimated at about €5000; the tourist was identified from security cameras and faces serious fines.
In China, meanwhile, police in Shanxi province have arrested two construction workers who damaged the Great Wall of China by boring through the national landmark to create a shortcut for construction work. The damage was in an area where the wall is low and appears more like an earth barrier than a wall.
