The probe was launched after an Italian guide filmed the 17-year-old woman using her smartphone to engrave the letter “N” on a wall of the historic monument on Friday, Italian news agency ADN Kronos reported.
The Swiss tourist could face a fine of up to 15,000 euros (CHF14,550) for damaging cultural property.
This is not the first such incident. On Sunday, the Italian agency also reported that a 17-year-old German on a school excursion had been fined for damage. He was caught carving on a wall of the Colosseum on Saturday, causing a fragment of brick to come loose.
Just a few weeks ago, a young tourist of Bulgarian origin living in England carved his name and that of his girlfriend on a wall of the Colosseum, sparking indignation from the Italian culture minister. A video posted on the internet caused a furore. The Bulgarian has apologised, but nevertheless had to pay a substantial fine.
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Five Swiss UNESCO Sites attract visitors with free tours
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Five of the 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Switzerland are offering free guided tours, concerts and lectures on Saturday and Sunday.
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The seven sites were announced in a glittering and star-studded ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, after a reputed 100 million people cast their ballots via internet or by phone. Machu Picchu in Peru, Brazil’s Statue of Christ the Redeemer, the Colosseum in Rome, the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza in Mexico and Jordan’s Petra also made…
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