Selfie-taking Turkish statue vandalised

The selfie-taking statue was damaged by vandals the day after it was erected (Hurriyet TV)

A bizare and controversial statue of an Ottoman prince taking a selfie has been attacked and broken, the day after it was first installed.

The statue was put up on 9 May in the Black Sea city of Amasya, a decision that city authorities say was meant to "draw attention".

The city was an important place during the time of the Ottomans - it was there that young princes were sent to receive education in how to rule properly.

It was these princes, some of whom went on to be Ottoman emperors, that the statue was meant to honour.

It depicts an Ottoman prince, complete with turban and ornate, flowing robes. In one hand, he clutches his sword. In the other, he holds a smartphone, and appears to be taking a selfie.

The steel statue baffled and delighted tourists in equal measure, who flocked to the area shortly after images of it circulated in the media and online.

Speaking to the Hurriyet Daily News, Turkish tourists Dilek Tuna said: "It is certainly beautiful. It's different."

However, not everyone was so enamoured with the prince. The deputy of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in the city tweeted a photo of the statue, with the caption: "New government investment in Amasya: a selfie taking prince. No joke."

Some people were so outraged at the tourist-baiting statue that they attempted to destroy it - they succeeded in breaking off the poor prince's smartphone and most of his sword, less than 24 hours after the statue was put up.

No culprits have yet been found, and the statue is now under police protection to prevent any further vandalism.

It's not the first time that an innocent selfie has led to the damaging of a beautiful statue.

Two tourists broke a 300-year old statue in Cremona, Italy, after they tried to climb it so they could get a selfie on 1 May. A crown on top of the statue broke off, and shattered on the floor.

A similar incident occured last year, when a student broke the leg off an early 19th Century Greco-Roman statue after he attemped to scale the reclining figure so he could get a picture.