The Trevi Fountain In Rome, Italy
Trevi Fountain Italy - 1732 to 1762
Undoubtedly the most famous of all Roman fountains the Trevi Fountain/Rome is the largest of the Baroque style fountains in the city of Roma. This masterpiece of Baroque architecture measures 85 feet high x 65 feet wide. It is situated in the small Trevi square located in the Quirinale district. Trevi is a derivative of the Latin word "Trivium", meaning a three streets meeting point. It is within walking distance of the Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps.
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History Trevi Fountain Rome
Who designed the Trevi Fountain? After studying painting and architecture, Niccolò Salvi phwff="2">(also spelled Nicola) competed unsuccessfully for the commission to make the facade of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome. He was however successfully awarded the commission to design the Trevi fountain by Pope Clement XII, in 1730. Initially a Florentine designer Alessandro Galilei, won the commission but such was public outcry from the Roman populace that a foreigner had won, Salvi was awarded the commission and his place in the history books. Work began in 1732 and the construction of the Trevi fountain took three decades to complete. Nicola Salvi unfortunately never lived to see these decorative water fountains at their majestic best, as he died in 1751. The project was eventually completed in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini.
Salvi based his design on the one that Gianlorenzo Bernini started a century earlier 1n 1526. Bernini's project was abandoned after the death of Pope Urban VIII but he did however re-site the fountain, designed by Leon Battista Alberti in 1453, from the other side of the square to face the Quirinal Palace.
Roman Landmarks - Trevi Fountain
Why is the Trevi fountain a tourist attraction? - The Trevi fountain in Italy was highly popularized in the classic 1954 film "Three Coins in A Fountain” and to this day remains one of the most visited sights in Rome. One look at the fantastic water displays from these decorative fountains and the answer is clear. One of the top sights in Rome, this sculptural masterpiece is a magnificent theatrical representation of the forces of the sea. The major focal point of the grand water fountain design, under a sober Arch of Triumph, is Neptune, God of the sea. He is riding a shell shaped chariot that is pulled by many horses. The fluctuating moods of the sea is symbolized by some horses remaining calm and obedient whilst others are restive and agitated. The horses are guided by Tritons. The sea is represented by the water at the bottom. A small niche to the left of Neptune has the statue of Abundance while another on the right has the one of Salubrity.
Legend of the Trevi Fountain - Coin Throwing
The traditional legend of the Trevi coin holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Throwing 2 coins will ensure a marriage will occur soon, while three coins leads to a divorce. A current version of the legend is that good luck will come your way if you throw three coins with your right hand, over your left shoulder into the Trevi fountain.
Fountain of Trevi facts! Approximately 3,000 Euros ($3500) are thrown into the fountain each day and are collected at night. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy. However, there are regular attempts to steal Trevi fountain coins by some unscrupulous individuals.
Trevi Fountain Source
The Aqua Virgo, an ancient Roman aqueduct constructed two thousand years ago is the source of the Trevi fountain. One of the most famous ancient Roman aqueducts it was built by General Agrippa under Augustus around 19 B.C. and it brought water from the Salone springs 12 miles away. The Aqua Virgo, or "Vergine", is the only Roman aqueduct system that has never stopped supplying the city with water since ancient Roman times.
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