trevi fountain

My world was officially rocked the moment I saw the Baroque goodness that is Trevi Fountain! Somehow "fountain" seems to be an understatement for something so spectacular. It took 30 years to build!

Trevi Fountain was of course commissioned by a Pope (isn't everything in Rome?) and sits at the end of an aquaduct that was built in 19 BC, with the help of a virgin (of course), and carries fresh water from 20 km away to supply all of the fountains in the historic Roman Center.

Among the many amazing aspects of Rome are the plentiful public fountains that provide potable drinking water throughout the city. This is particularly cool when you compare the cost of bottled water to that of cappuccino and wine; I know where I prefer to spend my Euros :)

Trevi Fountain is massive, 65 feet wide by 85 feet high! It was completed in 1762, so it's pretty old, but since it's in Rome, I expected it to be quite a bit older, but what do I know?

Love it or hate it, you've got to respect the level of skill required to build something this dramatic!

So cool to see real Corinthian columns in person! Sitting in freshman Western Civ many moons ago, I never imagined I actually see the real deal! I could've happily brought a picnic and looked at this fountain for hours had it not been swarmed with tourists.

At the Center of the Fountain is Neptune, god of the sea, riding a shell shaped chariot pulled by two sea horses, each guided by a Triton and representing the contrasting moods of the sea.

One is calm and obedient.

The other is wild.

As is the custom, I tossed a coin into the Fountain, hoping to ensure my return to Rome. There is a cannoli, a cookie, and a hot chocolate that I deeply regret passing up, and so I need to go back and make things right :)

Labels: ,