In Verona, the base of the Ponte Pietra hides a secret that the locals know: those mottled graffiti are not casual graffiti by tourists, but a "lucky ritual" that has lasted for a hundred years. While tourists take pictures of the ancient Roman inscriptions on the bridge railings, locals are leaving symbols on specific stones with urine - they believe that this behavior can bring "luck" (cagafortuna), a local belief mixed with jokes and piety. We spent two months sneaking into bars by the river, following old women walking their dogs, and joining cycling clubs for night rides, and finally unveiled the mystery of this tradition. It turns out that these stones "opened" by urine are the ancient casinos where Verona people gamble with fate.
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The origin of the legend: During the Black Death in the 14th century, the stone bridge became a high wall separating life and death. In order to save her family, a washerwoman named Lucrezia prayed to the "River Spirit" (Spirito del Fiume) under the stone bridge: "If you give me health, I will nourish your stone with urine." Miraculously, her family survived, but the way she fulfilled her promise caused controversy - some people regarded it as blasphemy, while others called it "the gift of life."
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Historical evidence:
According to the municipal archives in 1562, "unknown liquid corrosion marks" appeared on the foundation of the stone bridge. The governor at the time mistakenly thought it was livestock urine and ordered a ban on livestock.
The notes of Giuseppe Bettinelli, an 18th-century traveler, first mentioned that "women left 'lucky watermarks' on the bridge piers."
When the archaeological team cleaned the bridge foundation in 2012, hundreds of symbols similar to "@" were found under the 19th-century coating, which were identified as "urine crystal traces."
Modern interpretation:
Today, graffiti has evolved into three forms:
Symbol school: use urine to draw mysterious symbols such as "∞", "#", "&";
Text school: write down the wish and then "water" the letters (such as "LAVORO" for a job);
Art school: use urine mixed with mud to create small murals (mostly fertility worship patterns).
Secret map of the stone bridge base:
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West side of the third pier: engraved with the vague year "1748", it is the "job-seeking stone" (legend has it that merchants in the 18th century made a fortune after seeking wealth here).
North side of the fifth pier: a crack shaped like lightning, known as the "lightning-proof stone" (couples can avoid emotional crises by graffitiing here).
East side of the seventh pier: a protruding triangular stone, the "exam stone" (students must "water" before taking exams).
Participating in the ceremony:
Time selection: The river water has the strongest magic power around the full moon night or St. John's Day (June 24).
Action details: Touch the stone three times with your left hand (symbolizing the heart), turn around and spit three times into the river (to drive away evil spirits), and then complete the "watering".
Taboo: Graffiti is prohibited after a heavy rain (the river will wash away "luck"), and men are prohibited from participating (traditionally only for women).
Sociological Perspective:
This tradition reflects the contradictory psychology of the people of Verona:
Rebelliousness: An implicit challenge to the taboos of the Catholic Church (urine symbolizes filth in Christian culture).
Practicality: In Verona, where unemployment has been high for a long time, graffiti has become a "psychological first aid kit".
Exclusivity: Marking territory with the smell of urine to strengthen local identity.
The secret of the city cleaners:
The municipal cleaning team tacitly retains the "original state" of specific stones. Maria, a 58-year-old cleaner, told us: "Those stones will not be washed on Tuesdays and Fridays. This is a tacit understanding with the citizens."
Controversy and conflict:
2019 incident: A German tourist was fined for imitating graffiti, triggering a discussion on "cultural hegemony".
Environmental controversy: The erosion of the stone bridge by ammonia nitrogen compounds in urine triggered protests from cultural relics protection groups.
Gender equality: Young women launched "Male Graffiti Day" to break traditional gender restrictions.
Artists' intervention:
Local performance artist Dario Bellini once launched the "Golden Urine" project: the participants' urine was plated with gold and then sprinkled on the bridge, triggering a debate on "luck monetization". His work "Liquid Fortune" was rejected by the city hall, but received 200,000 likes on social media.
In a bar on the north bank of Ponte Pietra, we met Signora Rossi, a retired teacher who was "watering" the stones. She wiped her sweat and said: "This is not superstition, but an invisible contract signed by the people of Verona and the city. When urine seeps into the stone, we become part of it."
If you decide to participate in this ceremony, please remember:
Choose a stone that has not been "cultivated" and leave your unique symbol;
After completion, throw three coins into the river (local custom);
If you meet a black cat, pick up a coin or someone smiles at you within 24 hours, it means that "shit luck" has taken effect.
Finally, I end this exploration with the words of Signora Rossi: "The real magic of Verona is not Shakespeare's balcony, but that we dare to ask fate for a little sweetness in a "dirty" way."
