A tourist who carved his and his girlfriend’s names into the side of the Colosseum with a key is reported to have apologised to the city of Rome, claiming he did not know the building’s ancient history.
The man - who has been named in reports as gym instructor Ivan Dimitrov - was filmed engraving a message reading “Ivan+Hayley 23” on the Colosseum on the afternoon of June 30.
Italian Culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano called the writing carved into the almost 2,000-year-old Flavian Ampitheatre, which attracts six million people to the Italian capital every year, a “serious, undignified and a sign of great incivility”.
Mr Dimitrov has now penned an apology in which he expressed his “profound embarassment” and said he only learned of the Colosseum’s “antiquity” after vandalising it.
“Aware of the seriousness of the committed act, with these lines, I wish to address my most heartfelt and honest apologies to the Italians and to the whole world for the damage caused to an asset which, in fact, is the heritage of all humanity,” says his apology, according to MailOnline.
“I admit with profound embarrassment that only after what regretfully happened did I learn of the antiquity of the monument.
“The council with dedication, care and sacrifice guards the inestimable historical and artistic value of the Colosseum.”
According to MailOnline, a Rome city council official called the letter “nonsense” and “surreal”.
They reportedly said: “What level of education does this man have not to know the significance of the Colosseum?
“It’s just an attempt to pacify - and if he was so concerned why take almost two weeks to write? Why didn’t he apologise sooner? He must have known what he did as it was all over the world’s media.
“We intend to pursue this through the judicial system along with the authorities at the Colosseum and hope to see an appropriate punishment when it comes to court.”
Italian news agency said whoever was responsible for the latest episode risked £12,000 in fines and up to five years in prison.
Mr Dimitrov’s lawyer told MailOnline: “I suggested he wrote to the authorities to express his sincere regret for what he did and offer his apologies.
“He thought he could get away with what he did in Italy, even knowing full well that if caught in England where he lives he would have been severely punished.
“On the basis of the letter and the words within it we hope to reach a satisfactory conclusion with the Rome prosecutor which will limit the fine and punishment.”
Mr Dimitrov is said to live in Bristol with his girlfriend Hayley.
