Fontana di Trevi, Trevi Fountain. A fountain in Rome.

Trevi di Trevi Fountain: The world's most famous fountain.

Fontana di Trevi, the Fountain in Rome, has something rare, great beauty and the rustle of history fluttering in the air at the same time. It is incomparable.

fontana di trevi trevi — Fontana di Trevi in Rome, iconic fountain from 1762 in romantic night light — Fontana di Trevi in Rome, iconic fountain from 1762 in romantic night light

Almost every first-time visitor to Rome takes a leisurely stroll past the Trevi Fountain and is overwhelmed by two things: the beauty of the fountain and the huge crowds of people from all over the world. Millions of people agree: The background for your mobile photo is unique. The picturesque statues carved into the beautiful white Travertine stones and the trickling water form the perfect backdrop for a Roman story that few if any countries can match. If you throw a coin into the fountain, it is said that you will return again one day. That is certainly true, because millions of visitors do so every year. And so do we.

Trevi-fountain-the-3-divine-motives-Fontana-di-Trevi-Rome-Italy. — The-3-divine-motives-Fontana-di-Trevi-Rome-Italy.

Why do people throw coins into the Trevi Fountain?

The Trevi Fountain is located in the center of Rome on the Piazza di Trevi and is frequently visited by tourists from all over the world. You can expect cameras to be rolling and many couples in love, immortalizing their trip to Rome, posing in front of the fountain. A trip to Rome is not complete without a visit to the Fontana di Trevi, as it has that rare iconic quality including the historical rustling of wings, and is therefore definitely a must-see on a trip to Rome.

It is a tradition to throw a coin over the right shoulder into the fountain. It was supposed to ensure that one would come back to Rome one day. Whether that is right or not, we let you judge for yourself. The tradition of coin-casting dates back to the ancient days when the Romans threw coins into fountains as a sacrifice to the water gods. With this, you hoped, you got a safe journey and you came home completely. What many today do not know is that you should also drink from the fountain initially. This is not recommended today as it is recycled water and chemicals added to prevent algae etc.

What is the money in Fontana di Trevi going for?

First of all, we are not talking about small money. Every year, Rome fishes out about 8-11 million Danish kroner from the fountain, which goes to the city's poorest via the charitable Catholic organization Caritas . In 2019, there was talk that the mayor of Rome would redirect the money to repair roads and other infrastructure, but this was averted. For once, the poor were given first priority.

Coins at bottom of fontana di trevi, a famous tradition of tourists in Rome, Italy — Approximately 8 million DKK is raised each year by the charitable organization Caritas

Trevi Fountain in film and music, among others. Fellini´s film La dolce vita

Hardly any movie star other than Anita Ekberg along with Marcello Mastroianni has spread the knowledge of the Trevi Fountain any more, even the famous Italian film director Federico Fellini let the irresistible Anita lure Marcello out into the fountain and kiss in the most beautiful movie setting Rome can provide. Anita in the most elegant black dress floating in the 50 cm high water on a romantic night in the film La Dolce Vita from 1960. It is a film iconic scene with the now deceased Swedish-born film diva and Italian film's first lover. Anita said blah. not without self-esteem: “It was me who made Fellini famous not the other way around. And it was the scene that made them both even more famous, and people began to make a pilgrimage to an ancient fountain in Rome.

Frank Sinatra and 3 coins in a fountain

Long before that, and it's less well known, Frank Sinatra had the fountain as a motive for a heard today much romantic song Three coins in a Fountain, which brought the old crooner some coin himself. The song was written for the movie of the same name in 1955, which won an Academy Award. Fontana di Trevi brings out the best in people.
And finally you can find another classic and see the fountain in Prinsessen holder fridag from 1953 by William Wyler, where the princess, played by Audrey Hepburn, get set the hair of a hairdresser overlooking the Trevi fountain.

D'artagnan stole the coins in Fontana di Trevi!

What many may not even know is that the many coins thrown into the Trevi Fountain go to a charity called Caritas, which helps with groceries for the poor. Every day, around € 3000 is thrown into the fountain, but it is not advisable to fish them up. It is a criminal offense to remove coins from the Trevi Fountain. It's probably a good thing, too, since the Trevi Fountain was plagued by thieves for many years, who fished coins up in the shelter of darkness. The best known of the thieves became almost nationally known on it. He went by the name of D'artagnan, and he managed to steal coins for an impressive 34 years before being arrested in 2002. A very lucrative career was over.

The Trevi Fountain uses an incredible amount of water. It loses inconceivable 80.000 cubic meters of water every day, spilling and hitting next door. However, it is recycled wastewater that is used today to protect the environment.

How did Fontana di Trevi come about?

The Trevi Fountain was originally designed by the Roman architect Nicola Salvi and was completed by the Italian sculptor Pietro Bracci . The fountain is about 26 meters high and almost 50 meters wide and is actually built in the same material as the Colosseum, namely Travertine stone. These travertine stones most likely came from the city of Tivoli, which is located a little north of Rome. However, it was far from safe to build with the enormous stones at that time. Many were injured, and several died during construction. A stonemason was crushed under a huge block of travertine stone in 1734.

Salvi was actually not the architect who won the competition for the construction of the Trevi Fountain. It was the Florentine architect Alessandro Galilei. However, it fell far from in good soil with the Romans, and Salvi was quickly elected instead. Salvi´'s plan for the construction of the fountain was in fact also the cheapest and that was probably also one of the decisive factors for him being chosen by Pope Clement. A large part of the financing of the construction came from the lottery games of the time, when it was reintroduced in Rome in its time. So Happiness lotto is an old invention. Salvi died in 1751, unfortunately before he had time to see his masterpiece finished. The Trevi Fontana was completed in 1762 by his good friend Pietro Bracci.

The central figure of the Trevi Fountain is the god Oceanus , whose chariot is pulled by two seahorses. In antiquity, both Greeks and Italians/Romans believed that Oceanus was the god of the sea. Hence the name Ocean. On the sides of Oceanus are two women. One is the Goddess of Plenty, pouring from her cornucopia, and the other is the Goddess of Health with her jar, which is wrapped around by a snake.

Huge renovation projects for Fontana di Trevi

The Trevi Fountain has been refurbished several times. Not least during a major renovation in 1998. All stones were cleaned and cracks as well as other wear and tear were repaired by a skilled team of craftsmen. Pumps were installed so that the water could now be recycled.

The fashion house Fendi steps in and saves the Trevi Fountain

In 2013, the Fendi fashion house publicly announced that they would sponsor a 20-month renovation that cost over 2.2 million euros. This proved to be the most extensive renovation of the Trevi Fountain ever. The renovation project was started in June 2014 and was completed in November 2015. More than 100 LED lamps were also installed which allow you to enjoy the beautiful fountain in the evening.

Trevi fountain evening, (Fontana di Trevi), Rome, Italy..jpg

The Trevi Fountain lives both night and day just like the city of Rome

The Trevi Fountain is located on the Plaza di Trevio, and even before you reach the fountain on the square, you can hear the rippling water from the side streets as you approach. It is free to visit the fountain and there are almost always visiting guests galore. One can also see the Trevi Fountain later in the day on an evening walk through Rome. Then you also get on your stroll some of the delicious Italian food you probably get eaten during your stay in Rome. The lights on the fountain make it all look more dramatic in the evening and are also worth a visit, even if you have already seen it in daylight. However, there is an extra plus to make your way past later in the evening, as you avoid part of the crowds that are certainly there during the day all year round.

Where is the Trevi Fountain in Rome?

The old Roman streets and roads near the Trevi Fountain are narrow and therefore there is no public transport right up to the sights. However, the Via Del Tritone road is close by and is the stop for many buses. Alternatively, take a tour bus that stops nearby. The closest metro stop is Barberini and if you are at the Spanish Steps it takes only 10 minutes on foot to the Trevi Fountain.

Want to read more about Rome?

Read more about Rome. Here is the story of the Colosseum , not far from the Trevi Fountain, where more than 200.000 gladiators and millions of animals had to die for the entertainment of the Romans. Now it's your turn to be entertained.

The Coliseum, one of the world's 7 wonders in the middle of Rome

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