Latest news with #SpanishSteps
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Wrong turn sends driver down Spanish Steps, car lifted by crane, video shows
An elderly man's wrong turn down a famous Italian landmark led to his vehicle being craned away. An 80-year-old man on his way to work mistakenly drove his Mercedes-Benz sedan down Rome's famous Spanish Steps in the early morning June 17, Italian media reports show. Video captured the driver slowly navigating down the historic stairs before getting stuck as well as the audio reaction of bystanders in disbelief. Police said the man exited the vehicle uninjured and firefighters used a crane to remove the vehicle from the steps, Italian outlet Il Corriere della Sera reported. Public access to the Spanish Steps was temporarily restricted while experts with the Ministry of Culture examined the extent of damage caused by the driver, according to CBS News. Upon being taken to a local hospital, the man tested negative for both alcohol and drug consumption, CNN reported citing city police. However officers said the driver appeared to be in a state of confusion, according to Il Corriere della Sera. He reportedly had a valid driver's license. The peculiar moment wasn't the first time a vehicle drove through the historic landmark. In 2022, a Saudi man was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage after footage captured a Maserati driving down the same steps. Build between 1723 and 1726, the Spanish Steps lead from the iconic Piazza di Spagna square to the French monastery church Trinita dei Monti, according to Rome's tourist site. The landmark features 135 total steps as well as three different terraces that reference the Holy Trinity or the Trinità. Tourists often visit the top of the stairs for a scenic view of Rome. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wrong turn sends driver down Spanish Steps, car lifted by crane: Watch
CBS News
20-06-2025
- CBS News
Car driving down Spanish Steps in Rome caught on video by hotel worker
A man in his 80s was caught on video driving a compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down the landmark Spanish Steps in Rome before getting stuck partway down. A video taken by a hotel worker from a window shows the car slowly making its way down the steps early on Tuesday. The peculiar sight happened so early that the lampposts on the steps were still illuminated and crowds hadn't yet flocked to the popular 18th-century site in the Italian capital. The man tested negative for alcohol and was cited on the spot for driving down the monument in Rome's historic center, municipal police said in a statement. Police said the man, a resident of Rome, was at a loss to explain how he had wound up driving down the famed steps. The man, who emerged from the vehicle wearing a suit and tie, told the police that he thought he was going to work. They did not release his name and it was unclear if the car was his. The small sporty car was later removed by firefighters using a crane. A car that was driven by mistake down the Spanish Steps in Rome on June 17, 2025, is lifted from the landmark in a picture Italian firefighters posted to social media. Vigili del Fuoco On Thursday, police said the man's driver's license and other documents were in order, but they are now studying the case to determine whether his license should be removed. They did not indicate if he will be fined. Experts from the Ministry of Culture are examining the historic steps to see if the vehicle caused any damage and will send a report to the police. An image made available June 19, 2025, by the Italian firefighters shows a car that was driven by mistake by a man down the Spanish Steps in Rome early on June 17, 2025. Vigili del Fuoco via AP The Spanish Steps, one of Rome's most recognizable monuments, have never been intended for motor vehicles, although some thrill-seekers have tried their luck. A Saudi man was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage after a surveillance camera recorded him driving a rented Maserati down the 135 travertine steps in 2022. The Spanish Steps take their name from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in the nearby square. A famed background for numerous films, they were built in the 1720s and have long been a popular spot to people-watch and hang out.
Washington Post
20-06-2025
- Washington Post
Video shows man getting stuck driving Mercedes down Rome's Spanish Steps
A car hurtling down Rome's famous 18th century Spanish Steps could be a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster — only this version involves an 80-year-old driver, an awkwardly slow-moving Mercedes and a crane hoisting the vehicle out. Police on patrol in the Italian capital intervened before dawn Tuesday when they spotted a Mercedes A-Class car driven by an 80-year-old man had crashed down the stairs of the famous monument, Rome's local police force said in a Facebook post Tuesday. Video provided by police shows the car driving slowly on the road, before appearing to take a wrong turn down the 135-step staircase. The car then appears to get stuck halfway down the stairs. Police also shared a photo of an officer speaking to a man — presumably the driver — next to the stuck car, which had the door open. Police said they helped the man out of the car and that the man, whom they have not named, tested negative for alcohol. The incident has been referred for investigation, the statement added. The police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Italy's La Stampa newspaper reported that the man was not injured in the incident, while Corriere della Sera reported that the man was in a state of confusion and that an investigation was carried out to see if the staircase had been damaged. Police said the man was a resident of Rome and was unable to explain why he was driving down the steps, the Associated Press reported. The car was later hoisted out by Italian firefighters, who published an image of a crane carrying out the 'delicate' recovery operation. The Spanish Steps, known as the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti in Italian, are one of Rome's most famous sites. Built in the 1720s, they lead from the Piazza di Spagna square to the Trinità dei Monti church, but take their nickname from the nearby Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, according to the AP. They are a popular tourist spot and have been used as a backdrop for several movies, including the 1953 classic 'Roman Holiday.' However, they've also been subject to a crackdown on boorish behavior, particularly from tourists. In July 2019, Rome officials announced the city would administer fines to those who soil, deface or damage its historic, artistic and monument sites. This included sitting on the Spanish Steps, which could lead to fines from 250 to 400 euros ($290-$460), The Washington Post reported at the time. In June 2022, two American tourists were fined after damaging the Spanish Steps with electric scooters. A Saudi man was also charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage the same year, accused of driving a rented Maserati down the famous steps, the AP reported.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Daily Mail
The dramatic moment a pensioner gets stuck driving down iconic Rome landmark - before being hoisted out by crane
A pensioner accidentally got stuck driving down Rome's famous Spanish Steps, and ended up having to be rescued by police, firefighters and a crane. At around 4am on Tuesday, an unnamed 80-year-old man was driving his Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan through Italy 's capital, when he accidentally turned onto the historic landmark. A video that's gone viral shows the car falling halfway down the 135 stone steps, before coming to a complete stop, wedged and unable to move further. The car is then seen being lifted off the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti by a crane. Following the incident, the area was quickly cordoned off, police officers and firefighters were called to the scene, and public access to the Spanish Steps was temporarily restricted. According to CNN, archaeologists were also brought in to assess the site for any damage, which is a common occurrence with protected heritage sites. Although an inspection revealed damage to the vehicle, officials have yet to confirm whether the staircase itself sustained any harm. While it's unclear how exactly this accident happened, the man told police he'd been 'going to work' at the time. While it's unclear how exactly this accident happened, the man told police he'd been 'going to work' at the time The officers at the scene stopped him and took him to hospital, where tests confirmed he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and was unharmed. This isn't the first time someone has mistakenly driven down the Spanish Steps. In 2022, a 37-year-old man from Saudi Arabia drove a Maserati down the same staircase, causing physical damage to the monument. Unlike this man, that driver fled the scene but was later tracked down thanks to CCTV footage and rental car records. He was eventually arrested at Milan's Malpensa airport and charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage and monuments.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Italian Man, 80, Drives Down Rome's Spanish Steps; Has Car Removed From Historic Monument by Crane
An elderly man's car had to be removed via crane from the Spanish Steps in Rome after he drove down them. The man appeared to be in a state of confusion when the municipal police and firefighters arrived at the scene, Il Corriere della Sera reported. The car itself had to be lifted from the steps using a crane, per The New York Times.
