ROMA · AQUA VIRGO · BAROQUE

Trevi Fountain — A History of Water, Stone, and Wishes

From an Augustan aqueduct to a Baroque stage, the Trevi is Rome’s flowing memory. This page explores its origins, design, rituals, restorations, and the living tradition of casting a coin for a hope worth keeping.

Origins: The Aqua Virgo (Acqua Vergine)

In 19 BC, Roman engineers tapped a pristine spring outside Rome and channeled it via the Aqua Virgo aqueduct to the city’s core. Legend says a young maiden guided soldiers to the source — a story retold on Trevi’s façade in sculpted reliefs.

Why here?

The site marks the aqueduct’s terminal point, making a dramatic civic stage for water’s return to Rome.

Location

Trevi district, Rome — terminal of the Acqua Vergine (Aqua Virgo).

Architects

Nicola Salvi (1732) → Giuseppe Pannini (1762, completion).

Style & Materials

Roman Baroque in Tivoli travertine.

Dimensions

~26.3 m high × 49.15 m wide.

From Modest Fountain to Baroque Vision

Early fountains crowned the aqueduct here. In the 1600s, Urban VIII asked Bernini for redesign sketches, but plans stalled. In 1732, Pope Clement XII’s public competition chose Nicola Salvi, who fused architecture and sculpture into a theatrical façade embedded in Palazzo Poli.

Palazzo Integration

Giant Corinthian pilasters unify palace + fountain as one stage.

“Ace of Cups”

A sculpted vase reputedly blocks a once-ugly barber sign.

Building the Masterpiece (1732–1762)

Work begins under Nicola Salvi

Travertine from Tivoli shaped into cliffs, basins, and figures.

1732

Salvi passes away

The project continues under a team of sculptors.

1751

Pietro Bracci carves Oceanus

The commanding central figure emerges from the travertine surf.

1750s

Completion under Giuseppe Pannini

Inaugurated under Pope Clement XIII.

1762

Care & Restorations

1998 Renewal

Crack repairs, cleaning, and modern recirculating pumps.

2014–2015 Project

Major conservation and new LED lighting sponsored by Fendi.

Today

Crowd management, surveillance, and routine maintenance protect the monument.

Traditions: Coins, Wishes & Cinema

Toss a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder to ensure a return to Rome (modern lore adds love and marriage for second and third coins). Films like Three Coins in the Fountain and La Dolce Vita made the ritual world-famous.

Gallery

Click any photo to view larger.

Map

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Effective Date: August 16, 2025

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Last Updated: August 16, 2025

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Effective Date: August 16, 2025

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Last Updated: August 16, 2025