Interesting Facts About Trevi Fountain In Rome
The Trevi Fountain is one of the top attractions in Rome and one of the most famous fountains in the world. Daily thousands of visitors make their way to the Fontana di Trevi.The original legend says that if you throw a coin into the Trevi – with your back to the fountain, throwing the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder that will ensure a return to Rome. Coins aside it is a wonderful spectacle nestled in the narrow streets of the city centre you will find crowds here day and night. Below you will find some interesting facts about Rome's most impressive fountain.
One of the most interesting facts about the Trevi Fountain relates to the commission of its designer. In the Baroque era, it was popular practice to organize contests for architectural commissions. The right to design the Trevi Fountain came down to two designers in the end. These designers, or architects, were Nicola Salvi and Alessandro Galilei. Galilei actually ended up winning the commission originally, but since he hailed from Florence and Salvi was a son of Rome, the commission ultimately went to Salvi vacation destinations.A public outcry in the Italy capital was the main impetus for the switch.
One of the most interesting facts about the Trevi Fountain relates to the commission of its designer. In the Baroque era, it was popular practice to organize contests for architectural commissions. The right to design the Trevi Fountain came down to two designers in the end. These designers, or architects, were Nicola Salvi and Alessandro Galilei. Galilei actually ended up winning the commission originally, but since he hailed from Florence and Salvi was a son of Rome, the commission ultimately went to Salvi vacation destinations.A public outcry in the Italy capital was the main impetus for the switch.
- The Trevi Fountain is situated at the end of the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct constructed in 19 BC by Agrippa, the son-in-law of Emperor Augustus.
- The Trevi Fountain, or Fontana di Trevi in Italian, is Italy’s largest and most famous Baroque fountain, standing 85 feet high and 65 feet across.
- The central figure of the fountain, standing in a large niche, is Neptune, god of the sea.
- The fountain took 30 years to build upon completion in 1762. It replaced a previous less glamorous fountain in its place.
- The Contest to design the fountain was won by Alessandro Galilei over Nicola Salvi, however as Galilei was a florentine and Salvi Roman, outcry in the capital led to the commission being given to Salvi.
- Nicola Salvi died in 1751 and never lived to see the completed version which was finished by the architect and painter Giuseppe Pannini.
