An 80-year-old man inadvertently drove a compact Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan partway down the Spanish Steps in Rome’s historic centre early Tuesday morning, becoming stranded on the 18th-century monument and triggering an emergency response from local authorities.
According to a statement issued by Rome’s municipal police, the incident occurred at approximately 4:00 a.m. The man, a resident of the city, was uninjured and showed no signs of alcohol consumption after being tested at the scene. He was cited for unauthorised vehicular access to a protected heritage site. Police did not release his name, and it remains unclear whether the vehicle belonged to him.
The driver reportedly told officers he had been on his way to work and had taken a wrong turn, but could not provide a clear explanation for how he ended up on the staircase. Italian media reports suggest it is not yet known whether a GPS device contributed to the misdirection.
Rome’s fire brigade (Vigili del Fuoco) responded alongside the police and used a crane to remove the vehicle from the lower section of the staircase. The car appeared to have sustained visible damage, although it is uncertain whether this was caused during the descent or during recovery operations. The Spanish Steps have been temporarily closed to the public pending inspection by heritage officials and archaeologists.
Constructed between 1723 and 1726, the Spanish Steps—Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti—connect the Piazza di Spagna with the Trinità dei Monti church above. Made of travertine stone, the 135-step staircase is one of Rome’s most recognisable landmarks and features prominently in Italian cultural and cinematic history. The name of the staircase derives from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, located in the piazza below.
Municipal authorities enforce strict regulations around the monument, which prohibit sitting, eating, drinking, or damaging its surfaces. These rules were tightened in recent years to preserve the site from wear and vandalism. The current restoration framework follows a €1.5 million conservation project completed in 2015, funded through a private cultural sponsorship.
This week’s incident is not without precedent. In 2022, a Saudi national was filmed driving a rented Maserati down the same staircase. He was later charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage after causing fractures to two of the steps. In a separate case the same year, two American tourists were fined and temporarily banned from Rome’s city centre after damaging the steps with rented electric scooters.
Police have not confirmed whether the elderly driver will face further legal consequences beyond the immediate citation. Under Italian law, motorists over the age of 80 are required to renew their driving licence every two years and undergo a medical examination, including cognitive assessments.
The Spanish Steps remain closed while officials conduct structural evaluations to determine whether any lasting damage has occurred. No formal statement has been issued yet by Rome’s cultural heritage office regarding the state of the monument following the recovery operation.
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