A famous bull mosaic at the centre of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan now requires substantial restoration after being worn down by tourists honouring a tradition involving its delicate body parts. As the legend goes, visitors who grind their heels on the bull’s testicles and spin three times in place are guaranteed good fortune and destined to return.
Over time, the crowds twirling clockwise for luck have carved, by May 2026, a small crater into the bull’s “lucky spot.”
“Thousands of people every day have performed the famous heel‑spinning gesture,” city councillors said. “The pink tiles that form its testicles are being worn away.”













