If you are a tourist in Rome, you can’t help visiting the stunning and beautiful Trevi’s Fountain, hidden in one of the narrow streets near the renowned Via del Corso. If you go straight on between souvenir shops and typical Italian restaurants you will find a square, for an half devoted to this huge fountain, every day surrounded by tourists from all over the world. Designed by the Italian architect Nicola Salvi and then completed by Pietro Bracci, today is one of the most important Baroque fountains in the world.
It marks the end of the ancient aqueduct “Acqua Vergine”, name of a legendary young girl who was supposed to guide Roman soldiers to find the pure water. Its construction began in 1629 when Pope Urban VIII asked Bernini to renovate the fountain, but after the death of the Pope the plan was abandoned. Finally in 1730, thanks to Pope Clemens XII, the architect Salvi won the contest to renovate the fountain, so in 1632 the works began.
In 1762 the Travertine stone fountain was completed with the final setting of Oceanus ( the god of all water) in the centre of the structure. The Trevi fountain is also famous for the “coins throwing” as tourists usually throw a coin into the water with the right hand over the left shoulder, probably because of the theme of a 50’s song which marked the beginning of this practice. Every day thousands of tourists go there and throw a coin while they make a wish, as a sign of good luck.
This fountain is not only a tourist attraction but also one of the most important landmarks of Rome, one of the treasures that make this city eternal and fascinating.