Tourist levy for Florence?

FLORENCE, Italy -- Florence's mayor has suggested that the millions of tourists who visit each year should pay a levy to help preserve the historic city.

In a letter in Corriere della Sera, Leonardo Domenici said tourists, as well as taxpayers, should contribute to the upkeep of the "open air museum" that is one of Italy's most visited cities.

"Cities and places of art must be open spaces, to be lived with no limitations," the mayor wrote. "But it is fair that those who come visit them contribute, even partially, to their upkeep."

He said the increase in tourists in recent years was taking its toll: "Wear and tear of monuments and works of art is no longer caused just by ravages of time, but also by a massive tourist influx."

Town official Domenico Mugnaini estimated that 11 million people visited Florence each year, with seven million spending at least one night in the city.

Domenici's spokesman Enzo Risso said the proposed charge of about 2,000 lire (less than $1) would be added to hotel or camping fees and each visitor would only have to pay once, no matter how long they stayed.

Some of the city's popular churches including the Duomo, or cathedral, with its adjacent Baptistery have begun charging admission to finance upkeep or restoration in recent years.

The idea of a wider charge has the backing of the city's art superintendent Antonio Paolucci but Vittorio Sgarbi, a well known art critic, has slammed the idea saying: "Culture is everyone's heritage."

The capital Rome had considered such a charge for the millions of pilgrims visiting for the 2000 Holy Year but the idea was eventually dropped.

Province of Florence

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