- The historic landmark, Florence’s Vasari Corridor, suffered vandalism this week.
- The repairs will be overseen by 24-hour armed guards and cost $10,800, according to Italy’s Culture Ministry.
- The director of the Uffizi Galleries strongly advocates for harsh punishment for the vandals.
Italy’s culture ministry announced that the repair of a 460-year-old historic landmark, Florence’s Vasari Corridor, which was vandalized by German tourists this week, will be closely guarded by armed personnel for 24 hours a day. The repairs are estimated to cost $10,800.
The graffiti on the iconic passageway, connecting the Uffizi Galleries, referenced a third-division Munich soccer club, as reported by Florence’s mayor’s office to CNN.
The military police of the city stated that two German tourists, aged 20 and 21, were identified as the suspects. They were part of a group of 11 students and were found with cans of black spray paint and paint-stained clothing in their Airbnb accommodation, according to CNN.
Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy’s Minister of Culture, confirmed that the restoration of the landmark will cost $10,800 in a statement released on Thursday. Additionally, Sangiuliano announced the implementation of 24-hour armed security in the museum complex and the Vasari Corridor area.
Insider’s request for information on the duration of the repairs was unanswered by both the ministry and the Uffizi Galleries.
“This act was not a drunken whim, but a premeditated act,” stated Eike Schmidt, director of the Uffizi Galleries, in reference to the vandalism. He added, “We need strict punishment instead of symbolic gestures and imaginative excuses.”
The Vasari Corridor is the latest Italian monument to suffer from tourist vandalism, following the defacing of Rome’s Colosseum. Such incidents have sparked international outrage.
Earlier this year, Italy’s tourism minister condemned misbehaving tourists as “vandals” who lack respect for the country’s cultural heritage.
While some archaeology experts argue that such defacement has historically occurred, it remains a contentious issue in preserving cultural landmarks.
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