An American man impaled himself on a metal fence at Rome’s Colosseum while attempting to snap a selfie on Friday afternoon.
The 47-year-old was dangling from the fence and screaming until he fell unconscious after becoming badly wounded at the iconic Roman landmark.
The unidentified man, a US citizen currently residing in Taiwan, was seen climbing the perimeter railings that surround the Colosseum’s towering arches, perhaps to gain a better view or as local press speculated to capture a dramatic photo.
But his quest for the perfect shot ended in the horrifying accident.
According to Il Messaggero, the man lost his footing while scaling the fence and was impaled through the spine by a sharpened metal spike.
Eyewitnesses rushed to call emergency services, and although paramedics arrived on scene quickly, it took them more than 20 grueling minutes to remove the man from the spike.
‘It was a complex operation,’ one first responder told the paper. ‘He was losing a lot of blood, and we had to work with extreme caution.’
The tourist was transported in ‘code red’ condition – a designation used for life-threatening emergencies – to San Giovanni Hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery.
An American man impaled himself on a metal fence at Rome’s Colosseum while attempting to snap a selfie on Friday afternoon
The 47-year-old was dangling from the fence and fell unconscious after becoming wounded at the iconic Roman landmark
He required more than 80 stitches, but by Friday night, doctors declared him out of immediate danger and in serious but stable condition.
The man, who had been in Rome with family and friends for several days before the accident, was later questioned by the Carabinieri police.
His travel companions were also interviewed by authorities but were unable to explain what had motivated his dangerous climb.
No official statement has been released by Italian law enforcement regarding potential charges.
Il Messaggero noted how the man might have been trying to capture ‘a closer view of the Colosseum, perhaps for an unforgettable selfie.’
This isn’t the first time Americans have made headlines for questionable behavior at the iconic amphitheater.
In 2021, two American tourists were fined €800 (around $900) for illegally sneaking into the Colosseum at night – reportedly to drink beer inside the ruins.
The man lost his footing while scaling the fence and was impaled through the spine by a sharpened metal spike
A local Rome newspaper noted how the man might have been trying to capture ‘a closer view of the Colosseum, perhaps for an unforgettable selfie’
With more than 7 million visitors a year, the Colosseum is one of the most visited monuments in the world.
Italian officials have repeatedly warned tourists against reckless conduct at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which continues to suffer wear from excessive visitors and disrespectful behavior.
