The city of Rome in Italy is a tourist’s paradise and amongst its varied architectural beauties is also the Trevi Fountain which is a famous fountain of Baroque style in the Trevi district of Rome. Architect Nicola Salvi, who was of Italian origin, was the first creative genius behind the fountain and the construction of the structure was later done by Pietro Bracci.
The Trevi Fountain, which is also known as the Fontana di Trevi, has a height of 26.3 metres and a width of 49.15 metres. The earliest date of its completion is in the year 1762 and marked the terminal of Aqua Virgo which was an aqueduct which supplied water to the city of Rome. In times before this, it is known that trace of this pure water was given to the technicians by a virgin and water from here was used by Rome for 400 years after which the aqueducts got cut.
The process of reviving the Aqua Virgo and to convert it in to the current state Acqua Vergine was taken by Pope Urban VIII. Though, the process came to a halt after his death but again got revived under Pope Clement XII and it was then that Salvi took up the job which ended with the placing of the Oceanus created by Bracci in the centre of the structure. The last renovation project on the Trevi Fountain is known to have happened in 1998 when the cracks were repaired and some other damages were corrected too. As per a recent announcement of 2013, it is sad that Fendi, which is an Italian fashion brand, has offered a 2.2 million euro restoration plan for the Trevi Fountain.
The Trevi Fountain is known to be depicting and celebrating the various moods of sea and the ever changing form of water. The sculptures of the fountain are known to depict the sea in two opposite moods. There are two Tritons on either side of the sea God, one of which is trying to tame an unruly “sea horse�? while the other is with a much passive animal. The complete look of the Trevi Fountains appears similar to a scene on a stage and sound of the gushing water can be heard also from the surrounding streets. The structure of Neptun is shown inside a shell shaped chariot and the two statues are those of Abundance and Salubrity. The water flowing in Trevi Fountain is either called Virgin Waters or Trevi.
Being unique in its appearance, the Trevi Fountain has featured in a number of movies like Roman Holidays, La Dolce Vita, and so on. It is also famous for the coin throwing tradition as per which throwing a coin in to the fountain with the right hand over the left shoulder is supposed to bring you back to Rome once again. Going by this tradition it is said that about 3,000 Euros are found in the Trevi Fountain every day. The best way to reach the Trevi Fountain is by walking from either the Spanish Steps or from Piazza Navona.