Tourist attractions often trade on mystery, but one story out of Italy shows how quickly a compelling tale can become a costly scam.
For years, tourists reportedly paid to see what they believed was an ancient theater near Arcugnano, only for authorities to later determine that the site was actually a modern construction.
Franco Malosso, an Italian man associated with a hillside site near Arcugnano, allegedly marketed the roughly 54,000-square-foot attraction as the remains of a Greek or Roman archaeological site, according to VICE.
Tourists were charged up to €40 to view stone seating, columns, statues, and an artificial pond that he presented as parts of a historic monument.
Malosso also reportedly promoted the location with a dramatic backstory, claiming that Julius Caesar and Cleopatra had been there and associating the property with Juliet Capulet, a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play.
Authorities began investigating those claims in 2016. VICE reported that it took only a day to determine that the site was not ancient at all.
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Instead, the "theater" reportedly used present-day materials, including concrete, fresh-cut stone, and plaster.
VICE also noted that the claims did not hold up under even basic scrutiny. Greeks did not colonize so far north, and the site was being marketed as an amphitheater despite having the fan-shaped form of a conventional theater.
Attractions built around a dramatic story are worth a close look before buying a ticket. Check a site's history with a museum, university, or local tourism office before visiting to avoid paying to see a monument that isn't what it claims to be.
VICE noted that many visitors still left glowing feedback despite the warning signs.
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