Security comes at a price in Italy

ROME -- Italy could increase prices at culture hot spots like Florence's Uffizi museum and the Colosseum to pay for new security measures, deterring some of the hordes of visitors who make the sites potential terrorist targets.

Culture Minister Rocco Buttiglione said Italy was evaluating the levels of risk to determine which sites needed metal detectors, stepped-up electronic surveillance, an increase in personnel -- and, possibly, higher entrance fees.

''I don't want to spare any expense on security measures," he said in a telephone interview. ''And if I don't get money from other sources, then I may have to raise prices of tickets."

He said higher costs would have the added benefit of ''creating an inconvenience that may reduce the number of visitors" at the most vulnerable destinations.

At the Uffizi, the first site where security was tightened after the deadly London bombings on July 7, the new measures are prompting crowds to turn away.

The thousands who brave long lines and summer heat to glimpse Botticelli's Birth of Venus have found the wait is getting longer because of metal detectors and a limit of 780 visitors allowed inside at a time.

Ticket sales fell by 11 percent at the Uffizi in July, but rose by 1 percent at all of Florence's museums combined.

Italy's La Stampa daily recently called a visit to the Uffizi a ''voyage in the Gallery of Errors," saying tourists were too tired to enjoy the treasures once they got in and many others gave up before they entered.

''I'm sure people are willing to suffer this inconvenience to feel that they are secure and protected and they can peacefully enjoy their vacations," Buttiglione responded.

''And if you don't want to stand in a long queue in front of the Uffizi, there are so many other beautiful things to be seen in Florence," he added.

Italy is being forced to ''change its whole security philosophy" to protect tourists from attacks, whereas it used to worry about shielding art works from thieves, Buttiglione said.

''In this moment when there is this tremendous danger of international terrorism, we have to take additional steps."

Higher ticket prices may be needed to help fund security measures in recession-hit Italy, where budgets have been slashed across the board.

At 6.50 euros, Uffizi tickets were ''much lower than in most European museums," Buttiglione said.

Local officials said the new price could be 10 euros.

New measures and possible price increases will ''most likely" be implemented at the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, both sites where the concentration of many people in a small area makes them prime targets.

''It would only be at those sites that are most exposed," Buttiglione said. ''I don't think it would be a scandal if we had to increase prices."