Trevi Fountain

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Lore & Background

The fountain's water comes from the Acqua Vergine, which traces back to 19 BC, when Roman technicians located a source of pure water some 13 km (8.1 mi) from the city, supposedly with the help of a virgin. The aqueduct served Rome for more than 400 years. Though damaged during the 6th-century invasion of the Ostrogoths, it remained in use throughout the Middle Ages, with restorations attested as early as the 8th century. In 1629, Pope Urban VIII asked Gian Lorenzo Bernini to sketch possible renovations, but the project was abandoned when the Pope died. In 1730, Pope Clement XII organized a contest; Nicola Salvi initially lost to Alessandro Galilei, but due to outcry in Rome over a Florentine having won, Salvi was awarded the commission. Work began in 1732. Salvi died in 1751 with his work half finished, but he had made sure a barber's unsightly sign would not spoil the ensemble, hiding it behind a sculpted vase called by Romans the asso di coppe, the 'Ace of Cups'. Four different sculptors were hired to complete the decorations, including Pietro Bracci, whose statue of Oceanus sits in the central niche. Giuseppe Pannini was hired as architect and finished the fountain in 1762, substituting the present allegories for planned sculptures of Agrippa and Trivia. It was officially opened and inaugurated on 22 May by Pope Clement XIII. The majority of the piece is made from Travertine stone, quarried near Tivoli, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) east of Rome.

Reader's Guide

The Trevi Fountain is a major landmark in Rome, renowned for its Baroque grandeur and the tradition of coin throwing. An estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day; in 2016, an estimated €1.4 million (US$1.5 million) was thrown in. The money is donated to the Caritas association for charity work. The fountain has appeared in several films, including Roman Holiday (1953), Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), and Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita (1960). It has undergone several restorations: once in 1988, again in 1998, and a 20-month, 2.2-million-euro restoration sponsored by Fendi that began in June 2014 and was completed in November 2015, reopening on 3 November 2015. That restoration included installation of more than 100 LED lights. In 2023, on 21 May, activists of the climate group Ultima Generazione vandalized the fountain by dyeing the water with charcoal. In 2026, on 2 February, the City Council of Rome introduced a ticketing system where non-residents need a 2-euro ticket to approach the fountain from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays, and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. the rest of the week; after 10 p.m., access is free for all. The city hall estimates the ticketing system could earn over six million euros a year, funding restoration, stewards, and free museum access for locals.

Did You Know?

• The fountain's name derives from the Latin word trivium, meaning 'intersection of three streets'.
• Salvi hid a barber's unsightly sign behind a sculpted vase called the asso di coppe, or 'Ace of Cups', because of its resemblance to a Tarot card.
• The fountain's water is calcium-free, which is thought to be one of the causes of its maintenance needs.
• In 2023, climate activists from Ultima Generazione dyed the fountain's water with charcoal, requiring the 300,000 litres of water to be emptied and replaced.
• A Lego set based on the Trevi Fountain was released on March 1, 2025.