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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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