Hello! Today we talk about one of the most beautiful attractions in Rome! The Trevi Fountain is the largest and undoubtedly the best known in Rome. The history of the fountain was born in the time of Emperor Augustus when it was decided to get the water to Pantheon and its baths thanks to the construction of the Virgin Aqueduct.
The Virgin Aqueduct is the only ancient aqueduct to still be functioning for the feeding of the most important fountains in the central area of Rome. It was wanted by Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus, to feed the area of Campo Marzio. The origin of the name “Virgo” would have been given by Agrippa himself in memory of a young woman who indicated the place of spring to the soldiers in search of water.
Pope Urban VIII around 1600 decided to carry out a transformation of The Square and Fountain entrusting the task to Giovan Lorenzo Bernini, in order to create an evocative setting near his family palace, the Palazzo Barberini. After the death of Pope Urban VIII and the subsequent trial against the Barberini family by The New Pope Innocent X Bernini's project was abandoned and he was entrusted with the sole task of prolonging the water journey from the Virgin to Piazza Navona, where Borromini was to create a new fountain in front of the residence of the new pontiff.
Pope Clement XII will resume the work of the Trevi Fountain. The Pope banned a contest for its realization and after having rejected various projects that tried to preserve the facade of Palazzo Poli, the ban was won by Nicola Salvi to the great disappointment of the Poli family as the realization of his project would have clouded much of their residence and their coat of arms. Salvi began construction in 1732 approaching a baroque and classical order. The Fountain was first opened in 1735, although work is still ongoing.
The entire composition is inserted in a large rectangular pool with rounded corners, enclosed by a short staircase wanted by Salvi to compensate for the difference in level between the two sides of The Square. The whole lower part is dominated by a rocky cliff in the center of which, under a large niche, we find an imposing statue representing the ocean that drives a chariot (ancient carriage) in The Shape of a shell drawn by two sea horses, led in turn by Tritons. To the right of Oceano we find two other niches containing the Statue of Health and the Statue of abundance. The two horses represent the moments of the sea: sometimes calm sometimes agitated so much that the first horse has a more dynamic position than the other.
Above the two niches we find a bas-relief depicting Agrippa in the act of approving the construction of the aqueduct and the woman who indicates to the soldiers the direction to find water.
In correspondence of the four Corinthian columns we find four allegorical statues, between the two Central we find the coat of arms of Pope Clement XII. The water flows out of the rocks in several places: under the ocean wagon goes to fill three tanks before throwing itself into the main one.
Given the complexity of the work, there were many sculptors who worked on the construction of the monument including Bacci who took care of the Ocean Group while the realization of the bas-relief depicting Agrippa and Bergondi the Virgin is attributed to Della Valle.
We cannot ignore the fame of the Trevi Fountain, the universal symbol of the city of Rome, in the world of cinema thanks to Federico Fellini in his 1960 film "La dolce vita" where Anita Ekberg plunges into the tub inviting Marcello Mastroianni to do the same.
The best known tradition tells that by throwing a coin inside the fountain, flying her shoulders, a return to the city appears. Being known to all tourists, the city of Rome has decided that all the coins of the Fountain are donated to Caritas of the capital avoiding an illegal subtraction by third people.
A recent episode of Chronicle remains famous in 2007 the Italian activist Graziano Cecchini threw in the fountain of the dye and the waters immediately turned bright red. The same evening, the water was still cleaned and returned to its former state to prevent the dye from affecting the marble of the monument. The gesture was directed against the global market. so our interesting narrative ended. That's all for today.Farewell! See you soon.