Spotlight: Rome - Trevi Fountain

Spotlight: The world-famous Trevi Fountain was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi. Ironically, when Pope Clement XII organized a competition in 1730 to choose an architect to design a new fountain, Salvi lost to Alessandro Galilei. However, Salvi won the commission following a public outcry that a Florentine had won. Work began in 1732, but Salvi died before it was completed in 1762 by Pietro Bracci. Bracci made several changes, including featuring his statue Oceanus "God of all Water" in the central niche. Measuring 26.3 meters tall and 49.2 meters wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. The fountain is located at the junction of three streets and the end of the modern Acqua Vergine - one of the aqueducts that supplies Rome with fresh water. The Acqua Vergine replaced the ancient Aqua Virgo, which served ancient Rome since 19 BC.

Location: Trevi Fountain is located in downtown Rome in the Piazza di Trevi.

Cost: free

Time: Since it is in an open air piazza, the fountain is never closed unless under repairs. It is a quick stop, so plan on spending 15 minutes - 1 hour, depending on if you feel like shopping among the various souvenir stands or shops in the area.

Description: Trevi Fountain is the most famous fountain in Rome. It is made of Travertine stone, quarried near Tivoli. The fountain went through extensive restoration from June 2014-November 2015, which included the installation of 100 LED lights to make it more visible at night.
     Oceanus, God of all Water, is featured in the center niche. Flanking him are Abundance, spilling water from her urn, and Salubrity, who holds a cup from which a snake drinks.

     One of the main traditions at Trevi Fountain is throwing a coin over your shoulder into the fountain - popularized by the movie Three Coins in the Fountain. Supposedly, doing so guarantees that you will return to Rome someday. A second coin will bring you love, and a third will guarantee you a wedding. An estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain daily. It is illegal to take coins from the fountain, and the money is used by the charitable organization Caritas to fund supermarket vouchers for needy Romans.

     Also facing the Piazza di Trevi is a quaint church called Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Fontana. Since we were right there, and had some time, we stepped inside. Even though it isn't near as famous as dozens of other churches in the area, its architecture and artwork were impressive. It is definitely worth a look.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Trevi Fountain has appeared in numerous films including: La Dolce Vita, Three Coins in the Fountain, Roman Holiday and the Lizzie McGuire movie.

Nearby:  Giardini del Quirinali, Palazzo Colonna, Fiumi Fountain, Spanish Steps