Italy restores lucky testicles on bull mosaic worn down by tourists

The artwork is the centre of a tradition that involves visitors performing three spins on it for good fortune. Milan gives bull mosaic testicles worn down by spinning tourists some TLC Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A small crater in the centre of the bull mosaic in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy. Italy restores lucky testicles on bull mosaic worn down by tourists A worker restoring the bull mosaic at the centre of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy on 27 May 2026. A famous bull mosaic in one of Italy's grand arcades is getting some much-needed care after being worn down by tourists honouring a tradition involving its delicate body parts. As the legend goes, tourists in Milan who grind their heels on the bull's testicles and spin in place three times are guaranteed good fortune and are destined to return. Visitors twirling clockwise for luck have left a small crater on the bull's "lucky spot". "Thousands of people every day have performed the famous heel-spinning gesture," city councillors said. "The pink tiles that make up its testicles are being worn away." The beige and blue mosaic of a prancing bull surrounded by a coat of arms is located in the city's historic 19th-Century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade. It is representative of the city of Turin, which was the first capital of Italy. Restoration began this week, with a small construction site erected around the mosaic and a restorer working to return the artwork to its former glory, Milan's city council said in a statement. Artisan Gianluca Galli was seen kneeling before the mosaic, working to cut new pieces of stone by hand as curious onlookers gathered around him. Of the spinning ritual, which was popular among Milanese in the 19th Century, Galli told AFP news agency: "It's probably a charming gesture, but also quite damaging for a work of art." City councillors Emmanuel Conte and Marco Granelli said the last restoration of the bull mosaic was in 2017. "The Galleria is a living heritage, which can wear away precisely because it is loved and experienced: we take care of it so that it continues to be so," they added. Restorer Gianluca Galli works on the mosaic of the bull during the restoration in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, in Milan on 28 May 2026. Close up of the fresco, which is mostly shades of grey and brown, and the angels face is crudely scrubbed out Church fresco resembling Italian PM has face scrubbed out Stock photo shows a person filling a glass of water from a filter tap in a hospitality setting - they are positioned behind a bar with a stack of glasses in frame and wear a blue apron. Hotel that refused to give tourist tap water acted lawfully, Italian court rules Airlines warn of further disruption due to the introduction of a new EU digital border control system. The crowded tram was travelling in the centre of Milan at rush hour when it appeared to crash into the side of a building. John McAllister managed to avoid forking out for a hotel during his bargain 24-hour trip to Milan. Former Italy under-21 international Cristian Volpato switches allegiance to Australia days before the Socceroos announce their squad for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. French students are taking their exams in baking schools, while red alerts are issued in Italy. Police say the operation targeted the network of notorious late Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro. The longtime Google employee was charged in New York for allegedly breaking insider trading laws. The Italian Supreme Court rejected a tourist's claim that her consumer rights were breached when she was only offered €7 bottled mineral water.