Italian Created a Fake Ancient Amphitheater and Led Tourists There for Money
The man claimed to have discovered artifacts from Ancient Greece and Rome. It turned out that he had created them himself from whatever was at hand.
In Italy, a 69-year-old resident of Vicenza province was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months in prison for building a fake ancient amphitheater and charging tourists 40 euros for entry to the non-existent "archaeological site," reports the "Spadczyna" channel.
To create the so-called "Berico Amphitheater" in the commune of Arcugnano, builders extensively altered the landscape and dug a depression into the hillside on a plot of 5000 square meters.
Steps were laid out using artificially aged blocks, and the space was complemented with concrete columns, plaster statues, and an artificial lake.
In promotional materials, the owner of the site, Franco Malossa, claimed that he had personally unearthed these Greek, Roman, and Neolithic artifacts with the help of unknown archaeologists.
The investigation into the case of illegal construction and art forgery began back in 2016. The initial verdict was issued in 2021, but the creator of the fakery only went to prison now, after all appeals were rejected. In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered him to pay a fine of 3000 euros and compensation to the municipality, as well as to completely dismantle the new structure, restoring the hill to its original natural appearance (this injunction remains unfulfilled to this day).
"This case is a telling example of how the creation of historical simulacra and speculation on the past are regarded in the European legal space. While in domestic realities, the construction of theatrical replicas and imitation of antiquity is often encouraged or takes place under the guise of agritourism and landscaping, in Italy, the production of architectural forgeries and unauthorized alteration of the landscape is classified as a criminal offense with real prison terms," adds the channel's author.
Now reading
Bug Country. We Drove from Włodawa to Supraśl in Search of a Lost Paradise 4
Comments