Articlr

The Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)! A visitor cannot come to Rome without witnessing this magnificent master piece created in the middle of Rome.

It’s by far the largest standing and impressive Baroque fountains of Rome. It’s huge: 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide. Rome has an impressive numbero of fountains spread all over the city, more than 3,000, but there is no place on earth like Trevi Fountain.

This masterpiece is located at the crossing of 3 streets (tre vie) and it’s the final point of the “modern” Acqua Vergine which is anancient aqueduct that supplied water to Rome, more than 22 km (14 miles) away from the city. This aqueduct served Rome for more than 400 years.

During the last centuries it has gone through many changes and finally in 1629 Pope Urban VIII asked Bernini for a new proposal and design as he thought the earlier fountain was losing its beauty.

The project was put apart and forgotten when the Pope died! But it was then again taken over and adopted by Nicola Salvi! Finally in 1732 activities started and the fountain was finished by 1762. Even though Bernini’s project was rejected you can easily recognize many Bernini touches in the overall fountain design.

The legend says that visitors throwing a coin into the fountain will return to Rome once more in their life. Coins were thrown by three different individuals even though the current version says that two coins will bring a new romance and three will bring you will marry or divorce shortly after!

This act brings good luck and has to be accomplished by throwing three coins with the right hand over one’s left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain.

Each day approximately three thousands euros are believed to be thrown into the fountain and collected at night. The money has been used to help poor people and homeless in Rome. Nevertheless regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain are witnessed very frequently, including some using a magnetized pole. In 1998 the fountain has been refurbished and provided with re-circulating pumps.

If you are wondering what is the building behind Trevi Fountain…well, it’s called Palazzo dei Duchi di Polis and in the center you can see a modeled replica of the triumphal arch. The center niche has free-standing columns for maximal light-and-shade.

On the outside Oceanus, water comes out from her urn and Salubrity holds a cup from which a snake drinks out from. On the top is a copy of the Roman origin of the aqueducts. The tritons and horses provide symmetrical balance, with the maximum contrast with their facial expressions and poses.

The “Taming of the waters” is the major theme of this enormous scheme that mixes water and rockwork and fills up the small square.

Trevi area is definetely one of the most beautiful areas of Rome.