Best Places to Visit in Rome, Italy

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is largest and  most well-known of Rome's beautiful fountains. The flowing water is a stage for a monumental sculpture involving Neptune (Oceanus) emerging from his underwater home while riding an open sea shell drawn by two, winged-horses herded by tritons.  The fountain is rimmed with steps that take you down to its edge, a feature that helps focus even more of your attention on this complex and beautiful work of art.

Rome by Night Walking Tour   From Viator Tours

There has been a fountain in the square since early Roman times when water was supplied to the city's fountains from the Aqua Virgo (aqueduct) commissioned by Agrippa to bring water to the baths he was building near the Pantheon.  The present Trevi fountain was created in the 18th century. Some of the design was based on earlier plans by Bernini, but the majority of the work was accomplished by Nicolò Salvi, who labored on the fountain and its elements for 20 years, but died before it was completed. The fountain required an additional ten years labor before it was unveiled in 1762.

The fountain is embedded into the side of the Poli Palace and has many details that bear inspection (see the detailed photograph below). At the very top is the coat of arms of Pope Clement XII, one of the fountain's patrons. The coat of arms is topped with a replica of the Pope's  miter (hat) and Keys of St. Peter. Below that is an inscription honoring Pope Clement's role in building the fountain and below that is another commemorating the role of Pope Benedict XIV. A final commemoration to Pope Clement is seen just above the central arch, celebrating the fountains unveiling in 1762.