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Fontana di Trevi Review
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Fontana di Trevi 
- Address: Piazza di Trevi, Piazza di Trevi, Rome | Map It
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Trevi Fountain
- Category: Fountains
- Location: Piazza di Trevi
Fodor's Review:
Alive with rushing waters and marble sea creatures commanded by an imperious Oceanus, this aquatic marvel is one of the city's most exciting sights. The work of Nicola Salvi -- though it's thought that Bernini may have been responsible for parts of the design -- was completed in 1762 and is a perfect example of the Rococo taste for dramatic theatrical effects. The water comes from the Acqua Vergine aqueduct, and is so called because of the legend that it was a young girl, a vergine, who showed its source to thirsty Roman soldiers. The story is pictured in the relief on the right of the figure of Oceanus. Usually thickly fringed with tourists tossing coins into the basin to ensure their return to Rome (the fountain grosses about EUR 120,000 a year, most of it donated to charity), the fountain took center stage for Anita Ekberg's famous dip in La Dolce Vita. Unfortunately, the fountain is turned off during the wee hours and occasionally at other times for cleaning. If that's the case when you arrive, make a point of returning another day to see it in full gush. Some connoisseurs rue the day when the urban authorities cleaned the fountain off for the 2000 Holy Year celebrations and managed to wash off two centuries of golden, glorious patina almost overnight.
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- Walking Tours of Rome
4 responses; most recent on 10/06/2008, 04:55 pm - Express train between Fiumicino and Rome Termini at Christmas/New Year
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