| What makes it historical? |
In 1732, Nicola Salvi won the design contest for a magnificent fountain that would be built into the façade of the Palazzo Poli. It took roughly 30 years to carve out of travertine, and when Mr. Salvi died in 1751, Giuseppe Pannini finished the job! The fountain features five main statues: Oceanus, Health, Abundance, and two Tritons riding hippocampi! It tapped into one of Rome’s oldest water sources, the Acqua Vergine, and pumps out almost 3 million cubic feet of water very day!
The Trevi Fountain is most famous as a coin depository. On average, €3,000 in coins get thrown into the fountain daily: one to ensure a return to Rome, two to fall in love with a Roman, and three to marry that Roman! It’s a tradition attributed to German archaeologist, Wolfgang Helbig, who came here in 1862 and married Russian princess, Nadejda Schakowskoy. At one of the high society parties they attended, he started throwing coins in the fountain, just like ancient Romans would do as sacrifice to the gods, and the habit stuck! Every day, the coins are gathered up and donated to a charity called Caritas, who runs a supermarket for folks in need! |
