You is perhaps aware of the Trevi Fountain from its look within the iconic 1960 movie “La Dolce Vita.” But do you know the Trevi Fountain’s historical past goes far past the silver display screen and dates again to the Roman Empire?
Read on to study in regards to the Trevi Fountain’s historical past and why it’s one of the crucial beloved sights in Rome.
In This Article
What Is the Trevi Fountain?
The Trevi Fountain is the most important and most well-known of Rome’s many fountains. Constructed within the dramatic, sweeping Baroque type of the 18th century, it measures 49 meters vast and 26 meters excessive — that’s roughly 160 ft vast and 85 ft excessive.
Such an infinite fountain wants huge portions of water. More than 2,824,800 cubic ft of recycled water flows by it each single day.
The fountain’s reasonably literal title comes from the Latin phrase “trivium,” which implies “intersection of three streets.” Its Italian title, “Fontana di Trevi” interprets actually to “Three Street Fountain.”
Where Is the Trevi Fountain?
True to its title, the Trevi Fountain is situated on the intersection of three roads:
- De Crocicchi Street
- Poli Street
- Delle Muratte Street
The fountain leans in opposition to the rear façade of the Palazzo Poli, which may make it tough to seek out in case you’re roaming the town by yourself.
After you go to the fountain, ensure to cease by these close by spots earlier than you go:
- Galleria Sciarra: Tucked away inside a stone’s throw of the fountain, this hidden gem will transport you out of the Baroque period and into the nineteenth century. All 4 partitions of this glass-ceilinged courtyard are lined with Giuseppe Cellini’s artwork nouveau illustrations celebrating the glorification of ladies.
- The Alchemist’s Door: One of 5 remaining gates to the previous villa of the Marquis Palombara, the Alchemist’s Door (Porta Alchemica, in Italian) is a mysterious portal from the nineteenth century.
The History of the Trevi Fountain
As the most important fountain in Rome, you’d anticipate the Trevi Fountain’s historical past to be simply as expansive. And you’d be proper. It stretches all the way in which to historical days, on the peak of the Roman Empire’s energy.
Ancient Rome
You can hint the Trevi Fountain’s historical past all the way in which again to round 19 B.C. when it was a easy aqueduct. Built through the reign of Emperor Augustus, it’s the solely Roman aqueduct that’s nonetheless functioning right now.
According to the legend, Roman normal Marcus Agrippa and his troopers got here throughout a younger virgin sooner or later who miraculously made a spring of pure water seem for them to drink. To commemorate the occasion, Agrippa constructed the Aqueduct of the Virgin, which distributed water all through the town.
seventeenth Century
By the 1600s, one other fountain stood in the identical place. However, Pope Urban VIII ordered its demolition and alternative as a result of he believed it to be insufficiently dramatic.
The pope commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to attract up some doable renovations, however earlier than the mission might come to fruition, Pope Urban VIII died and the mission was deserted.
Although Bernini’s authentic design was by no means realized, his sketches closely influenced the longer term fountain’s development within the subsequent century.
18th Century
In the 1700s, constructing and artwork competitions have been in style methods for artists to earn commissions. In 1732, Pope Clement XII, intending to interchange the unique fountain, organized one such contest between Nicola Salvi and Alessandro Galilei. Although Salvi initially misplaced to Galilei, he ended up receiving the fee anyway because of the Romans’ objection to a Florentine victory.
Salvi used Bernini’s sketches from the final tried renovation as inspiration for his design.
Giuseppe Pannini was employed to help as an architect. Additionally, 4 different sculptors labored with Salvi on the mission:
- Pietro Bracci, who created the central determine of Oceanus
- Filippo della Valle
- Andrea Bergondi
- Giovanni Grossi
Construction started within the 1730s and stretched on for an additional 30 years. Salvi died in 1751, so he was unable to see the mission by to completion, however Pannini completed the fountain in 1762 with minor alterations to the unique design.
The ultimate design encompasses a central sculpture of the Titan god Oceanus on a chariot pulled by two Triton-led winged horses. One horse is calm whereas the opposite reels in opposition to his reins, representing the twin nature of the ocean. Oceanus can also be flanked on both facet by two niches containing the allegorical figures of:
- Left: Abundance, who carries a basket crammed with fruit and stands subsequent to an overflowing urn.
- Right: Salubrità (Health), who holds a spear in a single hand and a cup in one other. A snake winds up her proper facet to drink out of the cup.
Draw your eyes above these figures and also you’ll see two bas-relief panels depicting the legend of the Virgin. On the left facet are Agrippa and his males whereas the correct panel options the Virgin, who factors to the miraculous spring of pure water.
Keep wanting up — atop the palazzo’s columns are 4 extra allegorical statues depicting:
- Abundance of fruit
- Wealth of autumn
- Amenity of the gardens
- Fertility of the fields
Between all these figures is a large stone coat of arms flanked by two cherubs. But that’s not all you’ll see. The sculptors’ consideration to element actually astounds, with greater than 30 species of vegetation and an enormous variety of animal figures showing all through the fountain.
Present Day
The fountain has appeared in and impressed varied movies all through the final century, together with:
- 1953: “Roman Holiday”
- 1954: “Three Coins in the Fountain”
- 1960: “La Dolce Vita”
- 1998: “Sabrina Goes to Rome”
- 2003: “The Lizzie McGuire Movie”
In 2013, Italian vogue home Fendi sponsored a 2.2 million euro renovation mission to revive the growing old fountain to its former glory. The mission, which lasted 20 months, was the most important restoration ever finished on the fountain.
Why Do People Toss Coins Into the Trevi Fountain?
Back in historical Rome, individuals typically threw small presents into fountains and wells as an providing to the gods. Nowadays, although, individuals throw cash into the Trevi Fountain to ensure a secure return to the Eternal City.
But you must comply with just a few particular steps to do it proper. Here’s how one can take part on this time-honored custom:
- Hold your coin in your proper hand.
- Turn your again to the fountain.
- Toss the coin over your left shoulder and into the water.
According to legend, in case you throw two cash, you’ll discover love. If you toss three, your future marriage is assured.
You may marvel what occurs to all these cash. Since 2007, the town has donated all of the income from the fountain — practically 1.5 million euros per 12 months — to charity.
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