From Via del Tritone we enter Via
della Stamperia, which leads to the Trevi Fountain,
certainly the most famous and spectacular fountain
in Rome, made even more famous by the night-time wading
of Anita Ekberg in Federico Fellini's film "La
dolce vita'. Legend, illustrated in the fountain's
upper panels, has it that it was a young girl who
showed Agrippa's thirsty soldiers where a copious
spring gushed forth.
Hence the name of the aqueduct
which, running underground for a long stretch, is
the only one in Rome that has remained in use almost
uninterruptedly from the time of its construction
to the present day.lt is truly surprising to see such
a large fountain in such a small square, but the artist
Nicola Salvi, who created it between 1732 and 1762,
carefully studied the way to increase the sensation
of marvel. The artist was, disturbed during his work
by the continuous criticism expressed by a barber
who had his shop in the square. Everyone knows that,
if they want to return to Rome, they have to throw
a coin into the basin, but be careful: for the dream
to come true, you have to toss it over your shoulder
with your back to the fountain!
Did you know?
The name "Trevi",
allegedly derives from the word Trivium, a meeting
point of three streets that form this little widened
area. |
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