Rome’s mayor, Gianni Alemanno, has kicked an eco-friendly Christmas tree to the curb after complaints that the decorative holiday item was not sufficiently traditional.
The modern tree, made out of papier-mâché and recycled materials, was not popular with government officials. The white conical structure was assembled in the middle of Piazza Venezia, but lasted just one day before being removed.
Mayor Alemanno explained that the decoration was out of place in front of the white marble façade of the Vittorio Emanuele II monument.
The mayor insisted that the all-white tree be removed and replaced with a traditional Christmas tree, similar to the one placed in front of the Colosseum.
Rome faced similar controversy earlier this year over another too-modern monument. An abstract statue of John Paul II prompted outcries from religious and secular groups.
In this case, criticism of the modern eco-friendly Christmas tree was too blunt to be dismissed as artistic difference. One official described it as a “true piece of ugliness”.
