ROME, May 13 (Bernama-dpa) -- Italy's top cultural sites drew more than 60 million paying visitors in 2024, surpassing the country's population for the first time, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
The ancient Colosseum in Rome was the most visited attraction, with 14.7 million ticket holders, followed by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence with 5.3 million and the archaeological site of Pompeii with 4.3 million.
Tourists from Italy and abroad contributed more than €382 million (US$424 million) in revenue to the Italian state, with the Colosseum alone bringing in over €100 million.
Italy has about 59 million residents and is home to more than 400 state-run museums.
The number of visitors rose by two million compared to the previous year, while revenue increased by €68 million, partly due to higher ticket prices.
Not included in the figures are the Vatican Museums — home to the Sistine Chapel, where Pope Leo XIV was recently elected — which belong to the independent Vatican City.
With more than six million annual visitors, the Vatican Museums would rank second if counted among Italy's attractions.
--BERNAMA-dpa
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