Fresco 'ruined' by 82-year-old lady becomes international tourism sensation and raises 50,000 for charity
Friday, August 16, 2013 @ 12:06 PM
AN ICONIC painting 'restored' by an elderly churchgoer which went badly wrong has turned out to be a lucky – and lucrative – mistake, says the tourist board in Borja (Zaragoza province).
What could have been the pensioner's worst nightmare with the threat of legal action for 'destroying heritage property' looming has made her the most famous octogenarian in the country and netted over 50,000 euros for charity.
She has also put her sleepy and hitherto unknown home town on the world map, and international tourism is booming in the area.
Over 40,000 'pilgrims' from several countries have been to see the fresco at the Santuario de la Merced church, paying an entry fee and also leaving donations towards repairing the building.
And the domino effect has not stopped there: the unintentional celebrity has signed a contract with the council and has launched her own exhibition of 28 of her works in the town, which look set to bring in thousands more visitors from around the globe.
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