You have almost definitely heard of Pinocchio whose nose grew when he lied and he was also Italian but you may have not heard of Bocca della Verita (the mouth of truth).
The Bocca della Verita is definitely worth a visit if you are in Rome. It is situated in the atrium of St. Mary’s in Cosmedin Church in Piazza Santa Maria. It is actually an ancient drain cover made out of marble in the shape of a grim marble mask.
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This “drain cover” attracts so many visitors every year because legend has it that if you put your hand in the mouth and you don’t speak the truth the mouth will close on your hand and you won’t be able to take it out.
This is the kind of legend that makes people curious and attracts visitors to the site. It probably is not true but people want to come to test out the theory for themselves.
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The Mouth of Truth became even more famous in the 1953 film “Roman Holiday” starring Audrey Hepburn and has also been featured in other films novels and it also has a place in a Nintendo game.
There are various reproductions of the Mouth of Truth that can be spotted all over the world, sometimes as coin-operated machines at fairgrounds (in Spain and Hungary) or rubbish bins (in Paris), or simply as a statue (in California). In India there is a similar sculpture of a lion which apparently bites off your hand if you tell a lie, according to the locals.
The Mouth of truth is open from 9am till 7pm every day and admission is free