Rome has a history that stretches back for millennia and features numerous monuments and landmarks that have defined the city for ages. That historic significance makes it difficult for new monuments to make an impact in the city and across Italy, but the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi in Italian) has done just that. In becoming an icon of the city that is just as significant as other monuments that are far older, the Trevi Fountain represents what it can mean for a landmark to become an icon that attracts attention from across the world.
The Junction of Three Roads (Tre Vie)
Located at the junction of three roads (tre vie), the name of the fountain itself literally means “Three Street Fountain”. The space has a history that stretches back to the Aqua Virgo Aqueduct in 19 B.C. that provided water to the Roman baths and all of the fountains of central Rome. A fountain existed in this location for centuries, but all of that changed thanks to the efforts of a series of Popes beginning in 1692.
Pope Urban VIII thought the fountain that was located at the junction was too uninspiring, so he asked an artist to sketch possible renovations. His death in 1644 saw those efforts halted, but not forgotten. In 1730, Pope Clemens XII held a contest to design a new fountain. The first water came out of the fountain in 1743 but it wasn’t until 1762 that a different Pope, Clemens XIII, officially completed and inaugurated the new Trevi Fountain.
At 85 feet high and 65 feet across, this fountain and its piazza take up almost an entire city block. The completed piece depicts a central statue of Oceanus, god of water, being pulled by a chariot of two seahorses. At the left of the main arch is a statue of Abundance, while a statue of Health stands on the right. At the top of the fountain sits the Papal Coat of Arms, suspended by angels. The overarching theme of the Trevi Fountain is to tame the waters, a clear reference to the aqueducts that provide the fountain with water for the benefit and health of Rome.
The theme and scope of the piece has attracted audiences across the world and has led to notable traditions that define the piece. The myth, originating in 1954 with the movie “Three Coins in the Fountain,” says that if you throw one coin: you will return to Rome. If you throw two coins: you will fall in love with an attractive Italian. If you throw three coins: you will marry the person that you met. In order to achieve the desired effect, you should throw the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder.
All of these elements have combined to enable the Trevi Fountain to become a landmark that attracts tourists by the thousands who can enjoy the monument in completely different ways during the day and at night. The ability to do so has created a massive social and economic impact on a region.
The Impact of an Icon
Thanks to the tradition of throwing coins into the fountain, around €3,000 is “donated” to the Trevi Fountain every day. The charity Caritas said that the money tossed into the fountain (£1.2m) in one year helped to subsidize a supermarket for Rome’s neediest people.
Additionally, countless items for sale in shops across the city depict the famous fountain. An entire industry in the city is supported by the popularity of the icon, as tourists flock to the area to participate in the coin-tossing tradition and purchase items associated with their trip. This popularity has compelled others to support the protection of the fountain. Restoration of the fountain in 2015 cost around 2.2 million euros ($2.4 million) while a project sponsored by Rome-based fashion house, Fendi, took place in January 2013. That restoration was part of its “Fendi for Fountains” project, which hopes to preserve parts of Rome’s culture.
The Trevi Fountain has also been able to engage with the surrounding community in powerful ways. In 1996 the fountain was turned off and draped in black crepe to honor actor Marcello Mastroianni after his death. Mastroianni starred in La Dolce Vita, a movie whose most famous scene was filmed in the Trevi Fountain. In 2007 the fountain wore a different color after a vandal dumped a liquid substance into the fountain turning the water red. This caused water that fell from the fountain to be red as well and compelled citizens to ensure the piece was restored.
Other fountains have come to impact the culture and economy of their city, but none have been able to do so on the same level as the Trevi Fountain. In becoming a new icon of Rome, the piece showcases how monuments can create legacies that are tied to the history of a city and nation while still forming their own distinct identities.
Much More than a Fountain
Commonly cited as one of the world’s most famous fountains, the Trevi Fountain is said to be much more than a fountain or sculpture. With its location in such close proximity to other landmarks in Rome, the Trevi Fountain could have easily been relegated to being an inconsequential landmark. That it has added to the history and prestige of the city and all of Italy speaks to the power of monuments to create long-lasting legacies.
