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Milan Restores Bull Mosaic After Tourists Wore Down Its Lucky Testicles

Officials closed the spot so a craftsman can replace the worn pink tesserae with hand‑cut stone and epoxy resin to make the mosaic withstand heavy visitor use.

Restorer Gianluca Galli works on the mosaic of the bull during the restoration in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Legend has it that grinding one's heel on the mosaic bull's testicles at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II guarantees a return one day to the city
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'It's probably a charming gesture, but also quite damaging for a work of art,' said restorer Gianluca Galli of the tradition

Overview

  • City authorities ordered the repair after repeated heel‑spinning by visitors eroded the pink tiles on the bull's testicles in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, creating a small crater in the floor.
  • Artisan restorer Gianluca Galli is hand‑cutting replacement tesserae, taking impressions from the original work and setting the new pieces with epoxy resin rather than traditional lime and sand mortar to improve longevity under foot traffic.
  • A temporary construction barrier now closes the bull's 'lucky spot' to tourists while work continues, and some visitors have shifted the spinning ritual to a nearby she‑wolf mosaic representing Rome.
  • Deputy mayors Emmanuel Conte and Marco Granelli said the intervention was timely for the 'living' heritage site and noted the bull was last restored in 2017, framing the work as routine maintenance for a crowded public space.
  • The repair highlights a conservation tradeoff between historic technique and durability and underlines Italy's need for more trained restorers as cities cope with wear on high‑use cultural assets.