Sites to See: Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy

(The famous Trevi Fountain located in Rome, Italy)

Pictured above is the Trevi Fountain, one of the most calming, relaxing and beautiful places you can visit. It's one of the major attractions in Rome, right nearby the Spanish Steps and some great shopping! The fountain also has a bit of folklore associated with it involving what happens when visitors toss coins into the waters! Read below for more info...

Here's some key facts about this wonderful site, found in the historic and beautiful travel destination, Rome, Italy.

- Historically the Trevi Fountain marked a terminal point in the "Three Roads" (tres vie), where water was supplied to the city.

- Pope Urban VII asked sculpter Bernini to come up with renovations in 1629. The pope died and the project was abandoned, but many Bernini touches are seen in the present fountain.

- Pope Clement XII held a contest in 1730 to re-design the fountain. Alessandro Galilei won the contest initially over Nicola Salvi. A public outcry ensued that a Florentine won, and Salvi was granted the commission.

- Salvi began work on the fontain in 1732, but died in 1751 with the fountain only half-finished. It was finished in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini.

- The various statues sculpted on Trevi Fountain are: Oceanus (guide of Tritons), Abundance (spilling water from her urn) and Salubrity, holding a cup from which a snake drinks. Tritons and horses are used on the sculpture to provide symmetrical balance.

- The fountain was refurbished in the year of 1998, when the stonework was scrubbed and new water recirculating pumps were put in.

- The tradition with Trevi Fountain involves tossing a coin over your shoulder into its waters. If a visitor does this, they are ensured of a return trip to Rome!

- In terms of coins tossed into the water, it's estimated that 3,000 Euros are thrown into the water daily! The coins are collected nightly, and go towards a market to feed the less fortunate. There's been many attempts to steal coins including use of magnetic poles.

- A scaled down replica of the fountain exists at Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.

- The Fountain has been featured in several films including 2003's Under the Tuscan Sun and the 1953 comedy, Roman Holiday starring Gregory Peck. A Bon Jovi music video, Thank You for Loving Me, was also filmed here.

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(Info source: Wikipedia.org)

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