Tourists wore a hole in the mosaic on the bull's "lucky spot" in Milan – it is now being restored

The famous mosaic of a bull in one of Italy's main arcades is receiving much-needed care after being worn down by tourists honoring a tradition involving its private parts, the BBC reports, according to UNN.

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As legend has it, tourists in Milan who rub their heels on the bull's testicles and spin around three times are guaranteed good luck and a return visit.

Visitors spinning clockwise for luck have left a small "crater" on the bull's "lucky spot."

"Thousands of people performed the famous heel-spinning gesture every day," city councilors said. "The pink tiles that make up its testicles are being worn away."

The beige-and-blue mosaic depicting a prancing bull surrounded by a coat of arms is located in the historic 19th-century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It is the symbol of the city of Turin, which was Italy's first capital.

Restoration began this week, with a small construction site erected around the mosaic and a restorer working to return the artwork to its former glory, according to a statement from the Milan City Council.

Artisan Gianluca Galli was seen on his knees before the mosaic, hand-cutting new pieces of stone as curious onlookers gathered around him.

Regarding the spinning ritual, which was popular among Milanese in the 19th century, Galli told the AFP news agency: "It may be a magical gesture, but it is also quite destructive to the work of art."

City councilors Emmanuel Conte and Marco Granelli stated that the last restoration of the bull mosaic took place in 2017.

"The Gallery is a living heritage that can wear out precisely because it is loved and experienced: we take care of it so that it continues to be so," they added.

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