In a city of legendary fountains, the Trevi Fountain guarantees to take your breath away, not to mention your loose change!
The world-famous Fontana di Trevi (literally the fountain at the junction of ‘tre vie’ or three roads) is the work of Nicola Salvi and Giuseppe Pannini and was completed in 1762, taking some thirty years to complete. Salvi was awarded the commission by Pope Clement XII after initially losing out to the Florentine Alessandro Galiliei, but died before his work was finished and as a result, Pannini was brought in to complete the project. The fountain stands 26 metres high and is 49 metres wide making it the largest Baroque fountain in Rome and a truly imposing sight to behold.Carved from travertine stone and Carrara marble, the scene depicts Oceanus riding on a shell chariot being pulled by horses and two Tritons, with the niches on either side displaying Abundance spilling water from an urn and Salubrity holding a cup from which a serpent drinks. The exuberant style reflects the Rococo, which was already in full swing in Germany and France by 1730.Immortalised in films such as a Fellini’s La Dolce Vita of 1960 starring Anita Ekberg who famously dances in the water (don’t even think about it!) and Marco Mastroianni, in honour of whom, the water was turned off and covered with black drapes in 1996, the Trevi Fountain is even replicated at Disney World in the United States.It is said that if you toss one coin into the water you are sure to return to Rome, two coins means you will fall for the charms of a Roman, and three indicates wedding bells. What is for certain is that you won’t be alone as close to NZ$5,000 in small change is scooped up from the basin on a daily basis and donated to local charities.Our tip is to visit the fountain at night as well as during the day to enjoy it to its fullest potential. It is to be found just off Via del Corso and is served by the Metro stop Barberini, although it is only accessible on foot.
