About Trevi Fountain: 5 tips and curiosities

From Fellini’s La Dolce Vita to Audrey Hepburn’s Roman Holiday, this magnificent monument is a must-see when in Rome. Here’s few curiosities about Trevi Fountain just for you!

Aqueducts and streets

Let’s start from the very beginning: its origin.
The fountain is located at the junction of three roads – tre vie – and it marks the ending point of the Roman Aqueduct Aqua Virgo, which dates back to the emperor Augustus.
With a length of more than 20 km, it brought clean water to the city ready. Romans found the source thanks to a virgin – as also represented on the facade.

Popes, architects and a contest

The monument we see today was created only in the XVII century.
In 1731, Pope Clemens XII started an important competition with the purpose of building a new fountain. Many architects submitted their ideas hoping to gain the favor of the Pope. One year later, Clemens XII officially announced Nicola Salvi as the winner and authorized him to realize his project.
Unfortunately, neither the Pope and Nicola Salvi could admire it finished, as they both died before the end of works. It was Giuseppe Pannini who completed it, in 1762.

 Who are those statues?

I bet you are wondering who are the characters represented. Well, the main one is subject Oceanus, the mythological god, standing on his shell-shape chariot. All around him, tritons, horses and hippocamps.
In the niches, Abundance holds an urn from which spills water, while Salubrity holds a cup from which a snake is drinking.
Then, as mentioned, the bas-reliefs on the top remember us its Roman origin.

Coin throwing

Who would ever come to Rome and leave without trowing a coin in Trevi Fountain?
Although most of you stop after the first one, the legend says you should throw two coins to find the true love – and of course three to marry him.
Every year, around €3.000,00 are thrown into the Fountain: please note that it is illegal to steal even a single cent!

Camera, lights, action!

It shouldn’t surprise you if Trevi Fountain lists among the most requested movie sets ever.
Would you like some examples? We mentioned La Dolce Vita and Roman Holiday, but we could talk also about Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), Sabrina Goes to Rome (1998), The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) and To Rome With Love (2012).

Would you like to know more? Well, you can send us an email!
And if you are planning a visit to Trevi Fountain, perhaps our recommended itinerary may be helpful. 🙂