Palazzo Poli in Rome. Trevi Fountain in Rome: an entertaining history of the famous landmark. Where is the Trevi Fountain and how to get there

The Trevi Fountain is the best attraction for lovers and lost people, because with its help you can bring a little happiness into life. True, in order for your wishes to come true, you will have to go to Rome. There is a very fascinating story about what prompted the Romans to create a beautiful stone composition. In addition, many legends associated with the largest fountain in Italy are retold.

The history of the Trevi Fountain

Since the beginning of the new era, on the site of the picturesque fountain there has been nothing but a source of pure water. According to the idea of the ruling emperor and his adviser in Rome, it was decided to clear the sewers and build a long aqueduct. The new water supply system brought the purest water to the area, so local residents They nicknamed him “Water of the Virgin.”

Until the 17th century, the source fed the Romans unchanged, and only Pope Urban III decided to decorate significant place majestic sculptures. Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini worked on the project, dreaming of reconstructing the aqueduct in beautiful fountain. Work began immediately after the sketches were approved, but due to the death of Urban III, construction stopped.

Since the 18th century, the desire to create something outstanding in Trevi Square has been revived again, but now Bernini's student Carlo Fontana has taken up the work. It was then that the sculptures of Neptune and his servants were completed and decorated in the Baroque style with the addition of classicism. In 1714, the building was left without a master, so a competition was announced for the role of a new architect.

Sixteen famous engineers responded to the proposal, but only Nicola Salvi managed to convince Pope Clement XII that he could not only create the most amazing fountain in the country, but also organically fit it into the existing architecture of the city’s central square. Thus, in 1762, the Trevi Fountain appeared as the largest sculptural composition floating out of the water against the backdrop of the Poli Palace. This creation took exactly thirty years.

Features of the fountain

The main symbol of the sculptural composition is water, which is personified by the god Neptune. His figure is located in the center and is surrounded by maidens, youths and mythical animals. The lines are carved in stone so realistically that one gets the impression that a divine being with his retinue is swimming out of the depths of the sea, surrounded by palace architecture.

Among the main sculptures, two goddesses are also distinguished: Health and Abundance. They, like Neptune, took places in the niches of the palace, welcoming the guests of Italy in the square. Moreover, since the advent of the aqueduct, the water gushing from the Trevi Fountain can be drunk. On the right side there are “lovers' tubes”. Curious signs are often associated with them, so this part of the attraction is crowded with couples from all over the world.

At night, the famous composition is illuminated, but the lamps are located under water, and not above the sculptures. Because of this, it seems that the water surface is shining. This illusion adds mysticism to the place, and tourists even dark time spend days walking around marine life.

Not long ago, the man-made reservoir was closed due to planned restoration. More than a hundred years have passed since the last reconstruction, which is why parts of the sculptures began to deteriorate greatly. To save amazing beauty 18th century, the fountain had to be closed for many months. Tourists coming to Rome could not see the beauty in the complex, but the company involved in restoring the landmark allowed city guests to climb onto specially constructed scaffolding in order to look at Neptune from above.

Traditions associated with the fountain

Always on Trevi Square great amount tourists throwing coins into the fountain one after another. This is due not simply to the desire to return to the city, but also to the existing tradition about the number of euros abandoned. According to the descriptions, one coin is enough to see the attraction again, but you can throw more: two euros promise a meeting with your soulmate, three - marriage, four - prosperity. This tradition has a beneficial effect on the income of the utilities that provide the Trevi Fountain. According to their information, more than one hundred thousand euros are caught from the bottom every month.

The already mentioned tubes on the right can give real love nectar. There is a sign that drinking water will definitely help a couple maintain love until old age. Newlyweds often come here to include the ceremony in the celebration.

In Rome there is a rule according to which the fountains are not turned off even in the cold season. In January 2017, there was an unusual drop in temperature for this area. As a result, several fountains froze in winter, which caused pipe rupture and a temporary stop in their activity during the repair period. The famous landmark of Trevi Square was switched off in time, allowing it to remain fully functional.

How to get to the famous architectural monument

Most visitors to Rome first try to find out where the most beautiful source of fresh water is, not to get drunk, but to look at the amazing composition of sculptures and take unforgettable photos. The address of the Trevi Fountain is easy to remember, as it is located in the square of the same name.

In order not to get lost in the city, it is better to go directly to the fountain, which is next to the metro. It is better to choose Barberini or Spagna stations, located as close as possible to the Poli Palace and the fountain flowing from it.

November 8, 2018

Great Rome never ceases to amaze: its architecture is amazingly diverse, its streets are full of real works of art, and the energy of the city is so strong that it can fill hearts with spontaneous joy and frantic delight. What's it worth? see the Trevi Fountain in person! The grandiose solemn ensemble in the Baroque style has become a real symbol of the city, recognizable and inimitable. Thousands of tourists come here to throw a few coins and dream of a speedy return to the Eternal City. This masterpiece of street architecture remains popular in the film industry. Such films as " Sweet life"with Marcello Mastroianni in the title role, "Madly in Love" with Adriano Celentano and Ornella Muti, "Roman Holiday", with the beautiful Audrey Hepburn and many others.

Trevi Fountain in Rome

The history of the main Roman fountain

The history of the fountain begins with the reconstruction of one of the oldest aqueducts in Rome - Acqua Vergine, built under Emperor Augustus in the 1st century BC. to provide water for the thermal baths on the Champs de Mars, built during the same historical period.
At the end point of the conduit, located at the intersection of three streets (in Latin trivium), a fountain with three baths was built in the Middle Ages, into which water flowed from three holes. In the middle of the 15th century, by order of Pope Nicholas V, Leon Battista Alberti replaced the existing tanks with one large rectangular one, attaching a wall to it, on which he installed restored decorative elements in the form of masks from which water poured out.

In the first half of the 17th century, Pope Urban VIII commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to develop a project for the transformation of the Trevi Fountain in Rome and the adjacent square. The famous architect created a stunning monumental ensemble, which was approved by the pontiff and even began to be built. The work to implement this project was financed by ordinary citizens, but not by their own free will. Urban VIII Barberini, a passionate admirer of art, introduced a new tax on wine to realize his grandiose idea. After some time, the proceeds ran out, and besides, a new military conflict broke out. As a result, construction of the new fountain was suspended.

Trevi Fountain in Rome. Detail

After the death of Pope Urban VIII in 1644, the Trevi improvement project was finally abandoned. This was not so much due to a shortage Money, how much out of a desire to suppress the memory of the pontiff, who became famous for his excessive wastefulness and thereby earned the indignation of the public. The new Pamphili Pope, known as Innocent X, ordered Bernini only to extend the aqueduct to Piazza Navona, where Francesco Borromini - the new architect of the Holy See and Bernini's main competitor - was to build a luxurious fountain in front of the pontiff's family palace.
Not a single dozen years passed before the Trevi Fountain found modern look. It was only at the beginning of the 18th century that the idea of developing a suitable project was actively taken up. At the Academy of St. Luke, a creative union of artists, a competition was organized, in which not only Italian but also foreign masters took part. The winner was the work of Nicola Salvi, based on the ideas of Lorenzo Bernini and Urban VIII.

Trevi Fountain. Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Construction work began in 1732 during the pontificate of Clement XII and was completed 30 years later. Neither Nicola Salvi, nor the sculptor who worked with him, nor the Pope saw the finished Trevi Fountain, which became the largest in Rome and one of the most famous in the whole world.

Roman Trevi Fountain in the film industry

The popularity of the Trevi Fountain began to grow after the release of the American-made film “Three Coins in the Fountain” in 1954, directed by Jean Negulesco, and “La Dolce Vita” by Federico Fellini gave the world the most famous scene featuring this architectural masterpiece.

The Trevi Fountain, an architectural masterpiece of the Baroque era, is one of the TOP 10 attractions in Rome, and therefore a must-see for every tourist. If you've been to Rome and haven't seen Trevi, then you haven't seen Rome itself. This fountain, like no other Roman landmark, embodies all the grandeur, beauty and harmony of the Eternal City.

1. Where is the Trevi Fountain?

The Trevi Fountain is located in Trevi Square (Piazza di Trevi) in the historical center of Rome. The closest attractions to the fountain are: Piazza Venezia, Piazza di Spagna. On the streets branching off from Via del Corso, you will see signs that will lead you straight to the fountain, so it will be difficult to get lost.

2. Why is the Trevi Fountain called Trevi?

The main version says that the fountain is called Trevi because it is located at the junction of three roads– Via Poli, Via delle Muratte, Via della Stamperia. In Italian the name of the fountain sounds like Fontana di Trevi, which literally means “fountain of three streets” (tre vie).

There are other versions of the origin of the name. According to one of them, this was the name of the area where the fountain is located - Trebium. Another version connects the name with the ancient Roman goddess Trivia, patroness of roads and travelers. Trivia was often depicted with three heads facing three roads.

3. Who built the Trevi Fountain and when?

The decision to build a fountain in this place was made by the Pope. Urban VIII Barberini. He commissioned the most famous and respected architect of Rome Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini development of a fountain project. But the Pope died, and the fountain was forgotten for a whole century.

Pope Clement XII managed to resume the project, and it is his name and coat of arms that decorate the pediment of the fountain. Interestingly, money for construction was found thanks to a lottery. Italians are very gambling people, and lotteries are still very popular in the country.

The competition to create the fountain was won by Alessandro Galileo, a distant relative of the famous scientist Galileo Galilei. But after public protests, the implementation of the project went to another architect. The reason for the public objections? The Romans really didn’t like the idea that some Florentine would rule their city. Therefore, the construction of the fountain was eventually entrusted to a native of Rome, Nicolo Salvi.

Salvi drew heavily on Bernini's original design, and perhaps for this reason, the fountain turned out to be so impressive, matching the genius of Bernini. It took more than 30 years to build such a grandiose fountain (construction lasted from 1730 to 1762). Unfortunately, both Salvi and Pope Clement XII died before the work was completed and never saw their creation in its full glory.

Therefore, in the inscription in gold letters, just below the coat of arms and dedication to Clement XII, we see the name Benedict XIV, under which construction continued. And in the niche, behind the back of the Ocean, the central figure of the entire composition, there is a dedication Clement XIII, during which the official opening of the fountain took place.

4. Trevi Fountain - the largest fountain in Rome

The Trevi Fountain is enormous in size: its height is 25 m and its width is almost 50 m. It is not surprising that it took 32 years to build. The fountain adjoins the façade of the Palazzo Poli, forming a single harmonious whole with it. In the middle of the 19th century, Zinaida Volkonskaya, the owner of a famous literary and musical salon in the city, a writer and poet, lived in the Poli Palace.

Her salon was visited by Nikolai Gogol, Pyotr Vyazemsky, Karl Bryullov, Alexander Ivanov, Adam Mitskevich, Walter Scott and other outstanding people of their time.

5. What is the Trevi Fountain made of? You will be surprised, but Trevi Fountain and actually relatives , although they are separated by 17 centuries! Most big fountain and the most large amphitheater , like many other buildings in Rome, are built from travertine. The name of this stone comes from the Latin adjective tiburtinus

, which means “from Tibur” (Tibur is the Latin name for a city 33 kilometers east of Rome). And the statues decorating the fountain are made of Carrara marble.

6. Trevi Fountain sculptures

The main theme of the Trevi Fountain is water, an invaluable resource on which the life and prosperity of man and nature depend. The central figure of the entire composition is Ocean
, one of the Titans and the deity of the greatest world river, washing the earth and the sea, giving rise to rivers, springs and sea currents. The ocean “rides” in a shell-chariot drawn by the hippocampi (the hippocampus is a horse with a fish tail), which is controlled by newts. One horse is calm, while the other is rearing and unruly, symbolizing the different states of the sea. In the side niches to the left of the Ocean there is a statue depicting Abundance , and on the right is a symbol statue holding a bowl with a snake entwined in her hands. Above the Ocean there are allegorical statues with flowers, a sheaf of wheat and fruits - everything that depends on good and clean water.
The bas-reliefs above the statues of Abundance and Health tell wonderful story acquisition of Aqua Virgo (“Water of the Virgin”)– an ancient Roman aqueduct that feeds the Trevi Fountain and other Roman fountains. During the reign of Emperor Octavian Augustus, Rome was suffocating with thirst. 30 of the best legionnaires went to the outskirts of Rome in search of clean drinking water, but, despite all efforts, a source of life-giving moisture could not be found for a long time. According to legend, a beautiful young girl appeared to the legionnaires and showed them the way to the source. The aqueduct was named in honor of the mysterious savior.

7. How many coins should you throw into the Trevi Fountain?

Many tourists know the sign: if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, you will definitely return to Rome. But not everyone knows that this ritual dates back to the ancient Romans, who in this way tried to appease the gods living in lakes and rivers.

These days, up to 1 million euros are caught from the fountain every year! These funds are transferred to a charitable organization to help needy Roman families. By the way, catching coins from the fountain is prohibited. Although there was such a cunning comrade who managed this for 34 years. But we do not advise you to repeat his “feat”, or to swim in a fountain - both are punishable by a fine, and not a small one. It's better to just toss a coin :)

How to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain?

You need to stand with your back to the fountain and throw a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder.

How many coins should you throw into the Trevi Fountain?

1 coin – return to Rome
2 coins - fall in love
3 coins - to get married (if you are already married, then, as the Italians joke, the third coin is to get a divorce, since in Italy divorce is a rather complicated and lengthy procedure, without help higher powers not enough)

8. Fountain of Lovers in Rome

Not everyone knows that on the side of the Trevi Fountain, on the right hand, there is a small and nondescript rectangular pool. From different sides, this basin, reminiscent of a trough, is filled with two intersecting streams of water pouring from small spouts.

Legend has it that Roman girls filled glasses with water from this fountain and gave it to their boyfriends to drink the night before a long departure (for example, to the army). After all the water was drunk, the glasses were broken. It was believed that such a ritual strengthened love, and long separation was no longer scary for lovers.

Is it possible for lovers to drink water from this fountain these days? We answer: it is possible and even necessary :)

9. In what films can you see the Trevi Fountain?

The Trevi Fountain is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Rome. In addition, it is quite spectacular, which is why the fountain often appeared in Hollywood and Italian films.

Here are some of them:

"Roman Holiday" (1953)
"Three Coins in the Fountain" (1954)
"Sweet life" La Dolce Vita (1959)
"Lizzie Maguire" (2003)

In 1996, when actor Marcello Mastroianni died, the fountain was turned off and draped in black cloth to honor his memory. Marcelo Mastroianni played the main role in the film La Dolce Vita, and one of the most famous scenes with his participation and the participation of the luxurious beauty actress Anita Ekberg was filmed in the Trevi Fountain.

Trevi Fountain (Rome, Italy) - description, history, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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The largest, the most pompous, the most popular among tourists... All this is about the Trevi Fountain in Rome, built in front of the majestic Palazzo Poli. Created according to sketches by Bernini, the famous theater sculptor, today it is considered mandatory place pilgrimages among tourists.

The fountain composition rises 26 meters high and reaches 20 meters wide. In its center is the god Neptune in a shell chariot drawn by seahorses. As a bonus, there is an impressive swimming pool, familiar to us from the Fellini film Dolce Vita and Anita Ekberg swimming in it. By the way, you can feel like Anita for only 200 EUR. This is the amount of the fine for Dolce Vita swimming in the fountain.

Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

Legends and traditions

There is a tradition according to which you need to turn your back to the fountain and throw a coin into it. Anyone who performs such a ritual will return to Rome again. At one time, the city administration, concerned about the condition of the fountain, prohibited tourists from throwing coins into it. But the tradition returned anyway, and today everyone who wants to visit Rome again must go to the Trevi Fountain and throw a coin into it.

Thanks to such generous “donations” a considerable amount is collected per week - about 11,000 EUR. They say that all the money goes to charity. In order to increase this amount, enterprising Italians composed a legend. They say, if you throw one coin in Trevi, you will come to Rome again, two, you will find love here, and three, you will get married in the near future. It must be said that the ladies do not skimp and often spend a whole handful of eurocents.

According to another belief, lovers who want to never part with each other should drink water from the “lover's tubes” located on the right side of the fountain.

How to get

You can admire the spectacle completely free of charge. To get to the fountain, you need to get to Piazza di Trevi: to do this you need to go from Via del Corso along Via delle Muratte.

Trevi is especially beautiful in the late afternoon and at night. The water, illuminated by light bulbs, makes a fabulous impression. You involuntarily begin to believe that the fountain has magical properties!

The beauty and grandeur of the Trevi Fountain has attracted travelers from all over the world for centuries. People take pictures and make films near him, make wishes, declare their love and propose marriage. There are many fountains in Rome, but it is the Trevi Fountain that has become one of the symbols Eternal City. Why? Probably because it fully corresponds to the idea of Italian capital as the capital of the Roman Empire.

The Trevi Fountain is not just a statue in a bowl of water, but a symbolic sculptural composition. Its height is 25.9 m, width - 19.8 m. However, finding it in the labyrinth of Roman streets is not so easy, despite the fact that numerous signs lead to it, and it is in the navigator databases. But first things first.

Trevi Fountain: where does this name come from?

Nowadays, fountains are a decoration of cities and towns. And in antiquity and the Middle Ages, they had a purely utilitarian meaning - they were open containers for running fresh water.

In Rome during the Empire, fountains, as well as baths, citizens' houses and palaces were supplied with water using aqueducts. One of them was the Aqua Virgo (that is, the “Virgin Aqueduct”), conducted from a source located 13 km from the city. It received this name because, according to legend, a local girl pointed it out to the soldiers of the Empire.

Trevi Fountain - a sculptural composition, skillfully inscribed in the Palazzo Poli

Aqua Virgo, supplying the city with water, worked regularly until 537, until Rome was once again attacked by the Goths. However, after 2 centuries the aqueduct was restored and maintained in good condition until the 12th century, after which it was reconstructed and connected to a source that was much closer, in the village of Trebium. The name of this place in vulgar Latin sounded like “Trevi”.

According to another version, the Trevi Fountain in Rome also got its name thanks to Acqua Virgo, or rather, the old fountain in the city center, which it supplied with water. This fountain, the first mention of which dates back to 1410, was located at the intersection of 3 streets on the eastern slope of the Quirinal Hill. Jets of water flowed from three marble masks: each street had its own source. The intersection was called Treyo. The fountain was accordingly called the “Treio Fountain” or, as the locals adapted this name, “Trevi Fountain”.

Trevi Fountain: Bernini again

In 1640, Urban VIII commissioned Bernini to design a new fountain to replace the old one, in order to “balance” the newly built Palazzo Borromeo and Palazzo Barberini. The pope's interest in reconstructing the fountain was explained simply: Urban VIII, before his enthronement, was called Matteo Barberini, and the Borromeos were direct competitors of his family.

Bernini by that time was already a famous sculptor and architect: sculptures in, reconstruction of the square of St. Peter's Cathedral - all this was his work. The only thing he failed was the chapels, which, in the opinion of the townspeople, were disfiguring.

Above Neptune there is a tablet made in honor of Pope Clement XII

According to the thoughts of the sculptor and architect, who, in his free time from papal orders, was engaged in designing decorations for performances, the updated Trevi Fountain in Rome was supposed to take the form of an amphitheater and “tell” the story of the discovery of the source feeding the Virgo aqueduct. The key figure in the composition was to be the figure of the Virgin Mary. This is how the name of the aqueduct was deciphered back then: the virgin meant the Virgin Mary.

Money for the project was found quickly, for which, however, it was necessary to introduce a new tax on wines, but it also ran out just as quickly due to the war with Parma. And after 4 years, the project was completely frozen due to the death of Urban VIII and the “unexpectedly” revealed fraud carried out by his family.

Bernini became disliked by the new pope. True, sketches of the fountain have been preserved. But the Roman authorities turned to the idea of reconstructing the Trevi Fountain only at the beginning of the 18th century.

Trevi Fountain: final version

In 1678, Palazzo Borromeo was acquired by Joseph Conti, Duke of Poli and became known as Palazzo Poli (now the building houses the National Institute of Graphic Arts). Gradually, the Duke bought adjacent buildings, demolished them and expanded the palace. The fountain needed to be either urgently reconstructed or left as is. Otherwise, its construction could cause damage to the houses that were planned to be built on Trevi Square.

He began to consider new projects at the very beginning of the 18th century. Pope Clement XI, and in 1721 Michelangelo Conti from the Poli family was elected new pontiff under the name of Innocent XIII. Things went more smoothly, even despite the fact that the pontificate of Innocent XIII lasted only 3 years: the owners of Palazzo Poli were persuaded by family to brick up the windows on the central façade of the building.

Neptune statue. Trevi Fountain

The next pope, Benedict XIII, relied on architects from Southern Italy, since he himself was from Apulia. However, the presented sketches were extremely unsuccessful. The final version was approved by the next pope, Clement XII from the Albani family, among whose representatives there were many philanthropists. The author of the final version of the project was the architect Nicolo Salvi.

Salvi borrowed Bernini's idea and finally “told” through architectural and sculptural composition the story of the Virgo aqueduct, now correctly deciphered. The construction of the fountain continued from 1732 to 1762 with the involvement of a number of famous sculptors.

The entire lower tier of the fountain is a rocky cliff from which water cascades. The figure of the Ocean (or Neptune) is placed in the center of the composition as a symbol of water spaces. The ocean half sits on a shell, and it is pulled like a chariot by seahorses and newts. It seems as if the god is emerging from a niche-triumphal arch. Moreover, on the left, his “chariot” is pulled by rearing “horses”, on the right – by peaceful ones, which symbolizes the agitated and calm sea.

Walking distance from Piazza Venezia to the Trevi Fountain

On both sides of the central figure there are bas-reliefs. One of them with a figure symbolizing the Aqua Virgo (aqueduct), the other with a sculpture of a girl pointing to the source. A memorial inscription above Neptune's head is in honor of Pope Clement XIII. Four allegorical figures on both sides are symbols of fertility, which is impossible without water. The composition is in absolute harmony with the Palazzo Poli in the background.

In June 2007 Trevi Fountain unexpectedly lost its symbolic meaning: Aqua Virgo was severely damaged during the construction of underground garages. The fountain is now connected to other aqueducts.

How to get to the Trevi Fountain and what to do there

The Trevi Fountain, as one of the main ones, has more than once become the scene of action and even almost the hero of films. The most famous are “Roman Holiday” with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, “La Dolce Vita” with Marcello Mastroianni, “Madly in Love” with Adriano Celentano and Ornella Muti. And for that reason alone it is worth visiting.

The easiest way to admire a fountain at any time of the day or night is to live next to it. Moreover, there are many hotels in the immediate vicinity - for every taste and color. Check out the full selection of hotels near Fountain with current prices.

To find the Trevi Fountain you will have to get lost among the streets of Rome

If you’re unlucky with housing, then that’s also okay. To reach the fountain on foot, you need to go either from Piazza del Popolo, or from Piazza Venezia with the monument to Victor Emmanuel II, or from Piazza di Spagna, not far from which is located, along Via del Corso.

To avoid getting lost in unfamiliar city, be sure to download our application to your phone - it shows all the main attractions, shops, restaurants, etc. on a map that works without the Internet.

By the way, here, nearby, is located. After examining it, return to Via del Corso and go to the intersection with Via delle Muratte. Once you reach Via delle Muratte, you will very soon see the Trevi Fountain.

You can do it even easier by going down to and reaching the Barberini - Trevi Fountain station on line A. After that, walk along Via di Tritone to Via delle Stamperia, turn onto it and walk a few tens of meters to the fountain. If this route seems too difficult, it’s worth taking a taxi to save time on searching.

There are always not many, but very many people at the fountain. At any time of the day, year and in any weather. The crowd disperses a little just before dawn. You can wait, especially since there are a lot of restaurants and cafes in the area where you can sit until the morning. True, in this case you will not see how beautiful Trevi Fountain at night in soft lighting.

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