The Aqua Virgo is an ancient Roman aqueduct, constructed in 19 BC, that continues to flow to this day, a testament to the engineering prowess of the Roman Empire.
Route of the Aqua Virgo in Rome
The Source and Course of Aqua Virgo
The source of the Aqua Virgo is a series of natural springs that fed the river Aniene, the major tributary of the Tiber, 10 kilometers east of Rome (at the locality known as “Salone”). It ran almost entirely underground and was supported on arches only for the last two kilometers, when it entered the urban areas of ancient Rome.
For about 8 km it runs fairly straight as it follows the Via Collatina through underground channels, but it then abruptly turns north, crossing the Via Tiburtina and Via Nomentana, where it turns west to cross Via Salaria, cutting across reaching the park of Villa Ada. It then heads south-west, passing through the district of Parioli and the western edge of Villa Borghese.
Due to its increased hydraulic pressure it runs more straight when it reaches Rome, and thus has a much shorter overall length of 13 km. The low calcium content of the waters of the aqueduct probably helped to preserve its channels from mineral deposits, so that it could be kept in use for long periods.
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Historical Restoration and Modifications
After the 6th century, the Aqua Virgo was restored and altered a number of times, including an intervention by pope Hadrian I in the 8th century. During the early Middle Ages, since the other aqueducts no longer flowed, wells were dug in order to provide the people with water and many ancient monumental fountains were dismantled in order to reuse their materials.
In his De re aedificatoria (“On the Art of Building”), which he presented to Nicholas V in 1452, Alberti stressed the importance of having an efficient water infrastructure in Rome with the best water being used for public fountains. Above them on the wall an inscription in Latin, surmounted by the papal coat of arms, stated that “The Pontiff Nicholas V, after embellishing the city with monuments, restored the conduit of the Acqua Vergine from its ancient state of abandonment in 1453”. The first known image of the Trevi Fountain is a sketch dating to the year 1410, when it consisted of three basins side by side, into which water gushed from three spouts.
The Trevi Fountain: A Testament to Aqua Virgo
It continues south to supply the Trevi Fountain and then turns due west to provide water to the Four Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona. In this area it originally supplied the Baths of Agrippa, the first public baths in Rome, for which purpose the aqueduct was originally constructed.
The Trevi Fountain
The Story of the Trevi Fountain
Baroque Transformations and the Trevi Fountain's Design
The High Baroque architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini created many artworks and monuments in the churches and public spaces of Rome during the papacy of Urban VIII (1623-44), of the Barberini family. It was also quite close to the Barberini family palace (Palazzo Barberini) which had just been completed. After completing the massive bronze canopy or Baldachin in the Basilica of St. The work was partly financed by an extremely unpopular tax on wine.
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But funds for the ambitious project soon dried up (perhaps because the people cut back on their wine consumption!) and following the death of Pope Urban VIII the new pope, Innocent X of the Pamphili family, was reluctant to employ Bernini. In around 1640 Bernini enlarged the narrow square by demolishing some buildings and he changed the alignment of the fountain, so that it could be seen from the Quirinal Palace.
It seemed that Bernini’s arch-rival, the architect Francesco Borromini, might get the job, but Bernini was eventually awarded the commission. In the early eighteenth century, a period in which the Late Baroque or Rococo style was predominant in art and architecture, a series of competitions were organized, in which several sculptors and architects took part, including the Italians Ferdinando Fuga, Luigi Vanvitelli and Nicola Michetti, and the French sculptor Edmé Bouchardon.
Work on the Trevi Fountain was put on hold during the papacy of Innocent XIII (1721-24), whose family, the Conti, dukes of Poli, had recently bought some buildings in the square, in order to create a large mansion. Carlo Fontana suggested an obelisk standing over a rocky base (inspired by Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers) and Borromini’s nephew, Bernardo Castelli, submitted a plan with a column surmounted by a spiral ramp.
However the abandoned project to create a new Trevi Fountain was soon unearthed again and another competition was held by Pope Clement XII in 1730. The Trevi Fountain as we see it today basically corresponds to Nicola Salvi’s original intention. in 2014 an extensive restoration of the fountain and a modernization of the square was sponsored by the Fendi fashion company.
Architectural Elements of the Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain consists of a rectangular basin placed in front of the scenic façade connected to the Palazzo Poli, which serves as an architectural backdrop. The façade of Palazzo Poli, completed in the 18th century as the monumental backdrop to the Trevi Fountain, is an extraordinary example of the integration between architecture and decorative arts.
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The first level of the Palazzo Poli façade, located directly above the sculptural ensemble of the Trevi Fountain, represents a masterful synthesis of architectural rigor and decorative symbolism. This section of the façade acts as a transition between the dynamic energy of the fountain and the monumentality of the palace, characterized by a solemn and refined compositional order. The structure is articulated with pilasters and cornices that create a symmetrical scheme, emphasizing the verticality of the façade. Architectural elements such as windows crowned with alternating triangular and curved pediments introduce rhythm and depth to the elevation, harmonizing with the overall composition.
Located on the left of the first level, this bas-relief depicts Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, the Roman general and architect who supervised the construction of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct in 19 BC. On the right side of the façade, the bas-relief depicts the legend of the discovery of the Aqua Virgo, a spring found by Roman soldiers guided by a young virgin.
Above Agrippa’s bas-relief, this allegorical statue symbolizes the abundance brought by water. Positioned above the bas-relief of the discovery of water, this statue represents the health and purity that water provides.
The attic of Palazzo Poli, located above the first level of the façade, represents the architectural and symbolic crowning of the monumental complex of the Trevi Fountain. The attic is designed as a conclusive element, conceived to emphasize the central axis of the complex. The composition is dominated by the papal coat of arms of Clement XII, placed at the center of the structure-a clear reference to the pope who commissioned the fountain.
Located on the left side of the attic, this allegorical statue symbolizes the richness and fertility of nature. Represented with a basket of fruits, it evokes the abundance ensured by water. Situated immediately to the right of the Statue of Fruit Abundance, it represents the fertility of the land, with a composition that includes vegetal elements and agricultural tools.
At the center of the attic, the papal coat of arms of Clement XII, the pope who commissioned the Trevi Fountain, dominates the scene. Sculpted by Filippo Valle, it is adorned with the traditional tiara and crossed keys, symbols of the papacy’s spiritual and temporal power.
Located to the right of the coat of arms, this statue celebrates autumn as a season of abundance and harvest. On the far right side of the attic, this statue represents the serenity and beauty of nature. The figure is conceived to visually balance the ensemble and complete the symbolic cycle of seasons and prosperity.
The Central Sculptural Group
The central sculptural group of the Trevi Fountain, conceived as the narrative and symbolic focal point of the entire monument, represents an extraordinary synthesis of dynamism, allegory, and sculptural mastery.
On the left of Ocean, a triton struggles to tame an agitated horse, depicted with raised front legs and a flowing mane, in a dynamic and dramatic pose. This scene symbolizes the impetuous and uncontrollable aspect of the sea.
At the center of the sculptural group stands the majestic Statue of Ocean, 5.8 meters high, created from an initial design by Giovanni Battista Maini and sculpted by Pietro Bracci. Ocean, the god of waters, is depicted standing on a large shell-shaped chariot drawn by two sea horses. The imposing statue symbolizes the absolute dominance of water. Its solemn posture and hieratic expression evoke authority and control, embodying the connection between the divine and the natural power of water.
On the right side, a second triton guides a calm horse, which moves with elegance and composure. This element visually and allegorically balances the dynamism of the agitated horse, representing the tranquility and harmony of the sea when it is calm.
The central sculptural group of the Trevi Fountain conveys a complex symbolic narrative about water. The figure of Ocean, at the center, represents the universal power of the waters, while the two tritons and the horses embody the duality of the sea: untamed force and vital resource.
The sculptures integrate seamlessly with the architectural context and the perpetual motion of the water, amplifying the monument’s visual and symbolic impact.
Traditions and Superstitions
The practice of tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain is well-known throughout the world, and has been made famous by songs and films such as Three Coins in a Fountain, and no self-respecting tourist can fail to follow this romantic custom.
According to the legend if you visit Rome you must toss a coin into the water of the central basin, with your back to the fountain, flipping it with your right hand over your left shoulder. This tradition dates back to the custom of the ancient Romans of throwing coins into water so that the gods would protect them if they travelled over the sea, and help them to return home safely. This tradition is no longer in use, due to the poor quality of the constantly recycled water, and is little known today.
In the past if a girl’s boyfriend had to leave the city for work or military service, she would make him drink some water taken from the fountain out of a new glass and then she would break it. Today there is a safer version, which avoids the risk of having a stomach upset. The two lovers drink together from the so-called Fontanina degli Innamorati, or “Little Fountain of Lovers”, located to the right of the monument underneath the so-called asso di coppe (ace of cups), a sort of urn which stands on the balustrade that runs alongside to the road above.
In high season about 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain every day. The coins are fished out at dawn every day every night and given to an Italian charity called Caritas, which uses the money to fund a program of vouchers for the needy and poor of Rome so that they can obtain supermarket groceries.
The most famous and elusive of them all was a certain Roberto Cercelletta, also known as d’Artagnan, the fourth musketeer. He managed to steal coins from the fountain using a rake and a magnet for 34 years while the police turned a blind eye.
In order to prevent him from seeing the progress of the work, and to block the view of his shop sign Salvi therefore decided to erect a large urn made of travertine statue right in front of his premises.
Incidents and Movie Appearances
On two recent occasions the waters of the Trevi Fountain turned red. In 2007 Graziano Cecchini, a self-proclaimed modern day “futurist artist”, poured red dye into the fountain. Instead many commentator saw his actions as a pointless publicity stunt amounting to vandalism.
There are many scenes in Italian and international movies featuring the Trevi Fountain. In 1960 the Roman director Federico Fellini shot one of the most famous scenes from the film “La Dolce Vita” in the waters of the Trevi Fountain. The Swedish actress Anita Ekberg wades into the large basin of the fountain wearing a long dark evening dress and invites Marcello Mastroianni to join her, calling to him with the words “Marcello, come here!
In this comedy film from 1961 the conman Antonio, played by the actor Totò (Antonio de Curtis), pretends to be the nobleman Antonio Trevi who is the owner of the Trevi Fountain.
Visiting the Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is located two blocks southeast of the junction between Via del Corso and Largo Chigi (the continuation of Via del Tritone). It is situated in Piazza di Trevi between Via Poli to the west, Via della Stamperia to the east and Via delle Muratte to the south.
The nearest metro station is Piazza di Spagna, 500 meters due north. From here you should walk past the Spanish Steps and go along Via di Propaganda and Via di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte. In Largo del Nazareno turn left, cross Via del Tritone and take Via della Stamperia, bearing to the left.
If you travel by bus, the nearest stop is San Claudio, at the end of Via del Tritone. The bus lines 492, 51, 52, 53, 62, 63, 71, 80, 83 stop here.