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Tourist hordes threaten Verona's Juliet statue and Roman amphitheatre Tourist hordes threaten Verona's Juliet statue
(about 5 hours later)
Thanks to the attentions of both the Romans and William Shakespeare, Verona is a must-see for any tourist attempting a grand tour of Italy.Thanks to the attentions of both the Romans and William Shakespeare, Verona is a must-see for any tourist attempting a grand tour of Italy.
But in recent days two of its most popular sites – an almost 2,000-year-old amphitheatre and a rather more recent statue of the Bard's Juliet – have been the focus of controversy over how best to preserve and showcase them for the hordes of visitors who descend on them each year.But in recent days two of its most popular sites – an almost 2,000-year-old amphitheatre and a rather more recent statue of the Bard's Juliet – have been the focus of controversy over how best to preserve and showcase them for the hordes of visitors who descend on them each year.
Local enthusiasts have launched an appeal sounding alarm bells over the state of the romantic bronze statue that stands in the courtyard below the balcony where Juliet is said to have been courted by Romeo.Local enthusiasts have launched an appeal sounding alarm bells over the state of the romantic bronze statue that stands in the courtyard below the balcony where Juliet is said to have been courted by Romeo.
Dozens of tourists flock to the figure every day to rub their hands on her right breast in the hope of good luck, but the attention appears to be having the opposite effect on the playwright's heroine: locals say holes have formed on her breast and on her arm, while her wrist is showing signs of cracking.Dozens of tourists flock to the figure every day to rub their hands on her right breast in the hope of good luck, but the attention appears to be having the opposite effect on the playwright's heroine: locals say holes have formed on her breast and on her arm, while her wrist is showing signs of cracking.
"For a while now we have been witnessing the gradual attrition of the statue, but now we can wait no longer," Giulio Tamassia, president of the Club di Giulietta (Juliet's Club), told the local Veronese newspaper, L'Arena. The club of volunteers receives thousands of letters every year from lovestruck correspondents all over the world."For a while now we have been witnessing the gradual attrition of the statue, but now we can wait no longer," Giulio Tamassia, president of the Club di Giulietta (Juliet's Club), told the local Veronese newspaper, L'Arena. The club of volunteers receives thousands of letters every year from lovestruck correspondents all over the world.
Tamassia has called for immediate restorative action to be taken to close the holes.Tamassia has called for immediate restorative action to be taken to close the holes.
The mayor of Verona, Flavio Tosi, meanwhile, has been involved in a separate row over the Arena, the city's internationally renowned Roman amphitheatre, which every year plays host to operas and, more controversially, pop music concerts by singers such as Paul McCartney, who performed at the venue in June.The mayor of Verona, Flavio Tosi, meanwhile, has been involved in a separate row over the Arena, the city's internationally renowned Roman amphitheatre, which every year plays host to operas and, more controversially, pop music concerts by singers such as Paul McCartney, who performed at the venue in June.
Tosi's handling of the Arena has been strongly criticised by the Veneto region's superintendent of archaeological heritage, Vincenzo Tiné, who in a recent letter said tourists visiting the landmark for its architectural heritage risked having their experience marred by the staging structures necessary for such concerts.Tosi's handling of the Arena has been strongly criticised by the Veneto region's superintendent of archaeological heritage, Vincenzo Tiné, who in a recent letter said tourists visiting the landmark for its architectural heritage risked having their experience marred by the staging structures necessary for such concerts.
In future, he said, only those pop concerts whose specific logistical plans had been approved would get the go-ahead – a policy Tosi immediately lambasted as the kind of achingly slow Italian bureaucracy "that has to change".In future, he said, only those pop concerts whose specific logistical plans had been approved would get the go-ahead – a policy Tosi immediately lambasted as the kind of achingly slow Italian bureaucracy "that has to change".
Faced with having to submit their plans months in advance, he said, big music names would simply go elsewhere.Faced with having to submit their plans months in advance, he said, big music names would simply go elsewhere.
The trigger for the superintendent's move appeared to be a series of concerts held in September by the Italian singer Luciano Ligabue, for which he said the stage was "manifestly in contrast" with the amphitheatre's features and requirements.The trigger for the superintendent's move appeared to be a series of concerts held in September by the Italian singer Luciano Ligabue, for which he said the stage was "manifestly in contrast" with the amphitheatre's features and requirements.
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