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. |