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From Via del Tritone we enter Via della Stamperia,
which leads to the Trevi Fountain, certainly the most famous and
spectacular fountain in Rome, made even more famous by the night-time
wading of Anita Ekberg in Federico Fellini's film "La dolce
vita'. Legend, illustrated in the fountain's upper panels, has it
that it was a young girl who showed Agrippa's thirsty soldiers where
a copious spring gushed forth. Hence the name of the aqueduct which,
running underground for a long stretch, is the only one in Rome
that has remained in use almost uninterruptedly from the time of
its construction to the present day.
lt is truly surprising to see such a large fountain in such a small
square, but the artist Nicola Salvi, who created it between 1732
and 1762, carefully studied the way to increase the sensation of
marvel. The artist was, disturbed during his work by the continuous
criticism expressed by a barber who had his shop in the square.
Everyone knows that, if they want to return to Rome, they have to
throw a coin into the basin, but be careful: for the dream to come
true, you have to toss it over your shoulder with your back to the
fountain!
Did You Know? The
name "Trevi", allegedly derives from the word Trivium,
a meeting point of three streets that form this little widened area.
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