In Italy there's a face to stick your hand in its mouth. If you are lie it cuts your hand off. Whats the name?

Question

It was in the movie Only You with Marissa Tomae (?) and Robert Downey, Jr. I am almost sure it is in Rome. I will be visiting in April and would love to see this. All I know is it is a whole face with an open mouth and legend has it that if you stick your hand in the mouth and tell it a lie then it will cut your hand off. If anyone knows of even a partial name for me to start with it would be very helpful. Thanks everyone for helping me.

Answer 1

Check out the Wikpedia site, it tells all. Here's just a sample:

La Bocca della Verità (English, The Mouth of Truth) is a famous sculpted image of a human face in Rome, Italy. The sculpture is thought to be part of an ancient Roman fountain or perhaps a "manhole" cover, portraying a river god.

The most famous characteristic of the Mouth, however, is its capability of acting as a lie detector. Starting from the Middle Ages, it was believed that if one told a lie with his hand in the mouth of the sculpture then it would be bitten off. Bocca was placed in the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church in the 17th century

Answer 2

The mask is in the atrium of St. Mary's in Cosmedin church.

Answer 3

La Bocca della Verità

Seen in "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn first.

In Roma, also one in Paris with a statue of a woman with her hand in it and in India there is a lion that bites off the hands of nay sayers/liars.

Answer 4

its called the bocca della verità, and its in front of a church in a square with the same name.

buses that stop nearby: 95, 170, 628, 715, 716 781, 44.

its between the river and the "circo massimo" that is also a metro stop, quite in the center.

don't go too late in the evening if u want to put your hand in the mouth... it has weird opening hours.

Answer 5

La Bocca della Verità, The Mouth of Truth in English.

Answer 6

If my limited Italian will serve me, it's La Bocca de Verita, the Mouth of Truth. Legend has it, that accused persons were led before it, and made to put their hand in, while answering to the charge. If you pulled your arm out, missing your hand, well, that pretty much determined your guilt! Little silver replicas of the Mouth of Truth can be purchase for a few dollars and they are among my favorite souveniers to bring back to friends when we go. It gives you a moment's pause to stick your own hand in the mouth.