The Trevi Fountain is undoubtedly one of the most iconic destinations for Tours in Rome.
Located in the heart of the Eternal City of Rome, the Trevi Fountain is one of the most beloved tourist attractions in the whole city. It was designed by architects Nicola Slavi and Giuseppe Panini with the help of other unknown architects and it’s the biggest Baroque fountain in the city!
Let’s explore some of the histories behind this worldwide popular fountain and some curiosities and traditions surrounding it!
The history of the Trevi Fountain
The fountain we see today was built on another existing fountain starting from 1629 when Pope Urban VIII commissioned the redesign and reconstruction of the fountain to Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The project was never finished though because of the unpredicted death of the pope. It wasn’t until a century later, in 1730, that Pope Clement XII chose to have a contest to redesign the fountain. This contest was won by Nicola Salvi, a roman architect. Even though his design is the one we see today, he, unfortunately, didn’t live to see it. After his death in 1751, the project was continued and completed by Giuseppe Panini in 1762.
The Trevi Fountain: curious facts and figures
The Trevi Fountain has a curious name… the reason behind this name is apparently due to its location. The fountain is, in fact, located at the intersection of three different streets: De ‘Crocicchi Street, Poli Street and Delle Muratte Street. The word “Trevi” derives from the Latin “Trivium”, which means exactly “intersection of three streets”!
As mentioned before, the Trevi fountain is the biggest Baroque fountain in Rome. With its 26 meters in height and 20 meters in width, it will come as a surprise that it’s sometimes quite hard to find it because it’s hidden by the building surrounding it!
The fountain uses almost 3 million cubic feet of water every day but this water is, fortunately, recycled.
Discovering the Trevi Fountain’s traditions
The Trevi Fountain is the protagonist of many different traditions that are quite popular amongst tourists and locals too!
Let’s explore some of them:
- Coin Tossing: the most popular tradition about the Trevi Fountain is the tossing of a coin in the fountain. Legend has it that you’re supposed to throw a coin from behind your back and make a wish but it will only come true if you toss the coin with the right hand and pass it over your left shoulder. It is also believed that if you toss two coins in the fountain, you will find true love! Try it and let us know!
You’re probably wondering where all the money collected from coin tossing in the Trevi Fountain goes and you’ll be glad to hear that all of it goes to charity since 2007. The fountain collects over 3000 per day so it’s a little over a million euros per year!
Obviously, it’s illegal to try to steal money from the fountain just like it’s prohibited to bathe in the fountain so don’t try it!
- Fontanina degli innamorati: on the right of the Trevi Fountain there’s a smaller fountain from which you can drink. It is believed that if you and your significant other drink from these fountains, you will stay together forever!
Conclusion
So, visiting the Trevi Fountain surely is a must when coming to Rome. To make sure you have the best experience possible, book a tour with us!
