The incident immediately prompted claims that the state of some of the city’s most famous monuments is at a critical level as it comes after similar ‘falls’ at the Colosseum and the ancient walls encircling Rome.

An area around the Baroque 280-year-old Trevi fountain — where tradition sees tourists throw a coin into the water ensuring their return — was taped off while a fire brigade crane was brought in to help surveyors examine the damage.