The Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) is the most recognizable symbol and beautiful water fountain in the city of Rome. At any time of the day and year, you will see people crowding around it. Whether you see it in the shimmering sunlight or the romantic night lights of the city, you will have an undoubtedlyunforgettable experience.
The fountain is in the square that received its name (Trevi Square), in the Quirinale district of Rome. The fountain’s name comes from a meeting point between three streets; Tre Vi means Three Ways. The fountain covers an area of more than 20 square meters, making it the largest water fountain in the city.
Italians probably don’t have a shortage of water in the country, because no less than 80 million liters of water flow through the Trevi Fountain every day! The same water is delivered through the neighboring fountains – the Fountain of the Four Rivers, the Tortoise Fountain, and the Fountain of the Old Boat in front of the Spanish Steps.
A surprising statistical fact is that every year, on average, over a million euros of coins are thrown into the fountain! Don’t worry, the Italians know what they are doing – since 2007, this much money has been taken and used for charitable purposes.
A bit of history
The first fountain was built in ancient Rome many years ago. In 19 BC, the general Agrippa, the nephew of the ruler Augustus. It was originally built as the end of the canal that brought water to the city, the Aqua Virgo Aquaduct. Since then, Rome has passed through many hands, wars, and disasters, as has the famous fountain. The fountain, in its final and current configuration, has existed since 1762. It was established after much work by the artist Nicola Salvi. After he died in the middle of the works, the suffix was the artist Giuseppe Pannini.
What you see
The sculpted figure standing in front of the fountain is the Roman god of the sea, Neptune, riding on a clam-like chariot. The chariot is led by two sea horses and controlled by two tritons (mythological creatures). One of the horses looks calm and obedient, while the other shows rebelliousness and a wild character. The difference between the horses symbolizes the extreme fluctuations of the sea. The sculptures were designed by the artists Pietro Bracci and Filippo della Valle.
The famous myth
The fountain carries a tradition and an interesting myth story, which has starred in the city’s tourist tours for decades. You must be asking yourself why many people throw coins into the fountain. One of the leading answers to this is a famous myth circulated relatively recently, in 1954, when the movie “Three Coins in the Fountain” was released. According to the narrative in the film, if you throw one coin into the fountain – a day will come, and you will return to Rome. If you throw two coins – you will get an Italian love story during your visit. If you add and throw three coins into the fountain – you will get to marry the object of love you met. For the magic to work, the coin tossing has to be done in a certain way, with the coin held in your right hand and you throw it over your left shoulder, without looking.
The Trevi Fountain looks like the set of a romantic movie. Therefore, it is no wonder that she starred in many well-known films such as “Roman Holiday” and “La Dolce Vita” and continues to star in Hollywood even today.
What else is around
In the Trevi Fountain area, there are quite a few beautiful squares and streets that are fun to walk around. Just a few minutes walk away, you can see well-known points of interest such as Piazza Colonna, Piazza di Spanga and the nearby Spanish Steps, Piazza Barberini, and the famous Doria Pamphilj gallery.
How to get there – you can get to the area by subway (line A). The nearest metro station is Barberini.
The entrance is free.
