
Christmas decorations have been a mainstay of the festive season in Italy and in the countrys capital, Rome, for more than 300 years.
But as the season comes to an end, some of the most popular decorateings are in danger of disappearing amid soaring costs.
One of the priciest Christmas decorations, a “shaving bar” from the 1860s, is expected to be worth more than $600,000 in Rome this year.
According to a report by La Repubblica, the bar was made out of wood and gold plates that cost the city €10,000 each.
The bar, which was designed by the Italian architect Giuseppe Filippi, has been at the centre of several controversies over the past decades.
In 2009, it was reported that Filippis brother, the painter Giuseppo, was paid more than €150,000 to paint a picture of the bar for the Italian Parliament.
Filippises work was subsequently used as a reference for a mural painted on the walls of the Palazzo delle Terme, one of the largest and most prestigious buildings in Rome.
Fiamma said in a statement that the bar is now owned by the artist’s daughter, who also owns the painting.
Fazzo’s son, Giuseolo Fazzi, a sculptor, has since said he will donate the bar to the Italian National Museum, where the painting is housed.
But critics say that the Baroque sculpture has been overshadowed by other artistic projects, such as a sculpture of an elephant in the form of a Christmas tree.
It is also a popular sight at Italy’s annual “Christmastime in the Park”, where thousands of people gather in the streets and the surrounding countryside for the traditional “dance” on Dec. 25.