The monumental Trevi Fountain is among the closely-spaced buildings on the narrow streets of Rome. There is almost no person who wouldn`t hear about the fountain. Also it is well known that you have to throw a coin in it to come back to Rome. The Trevi Fountain is included in nearly all city tours.
It is at the wall of the Palazzo Poli. The Trevi Fountain is 50 meters wide and 26 meters high. It is the largest fountain in Rome. Besides, the facade of the palace is the extension of the fountain so the whole composition looks even larger.
Over two thousand years ago Emperor Octavianus Augustus provided a supply of clean water to nearly all house in Rome with the help of a ramified system of aqueducts. And a large bowl of a public spring was on the site of the today Trevi Fountain.
In 17 century Pope Urban III decided to decorated the city with baroque objects of art, which were then coming into fashion. So he asked the architect Giovanni Bernini to create a big fountain on the place of above mentioned bowl. Bernini is a founder of baroque style and originally, his apprentice, Carlo Fontana, was given the task to design the fountain but it was completed by another architect, Nicola Salvi.
The fountain was built for 30 years, since 1732 through 1762. The giant sculpture of Ocean riding a chariot is in the center of the composition. It is surrounded by bas-reliefs and sculptures.
Every year tonnes of coins amounting to 1.5 million euros are taken from the fountain. All these coins are thrown there by tourists.
