Trevi fountain maintenance: Tradition preserved with coin pool
Tourists visiting Rome are not satisfied, as access to the famous Baroque Trevi Fountain is restricted. The water has been drained, and maintenance work is currently underway. However, the authorities have devised an unexpected solution. Thanks to this, tourists don't have to abandon the tradition of throwing coins.
2 November 2024 07:41
Visitors to the Eternal City in the near future should expect some inconvenience due to ongoing renovations. In Rome, many sites are being refurbished in preparation for the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025. One such site is the renowned Baroque Trevi Fountain, considered by many as the most beautiful in the world.
Temporary pool in front of Trevi Fountain
Despite the ongoing maintenance work, tourists don't need to forsake the coin-tossing tradition. Although the fountain is not flowing, a small pool resembling a bathtub has been set up in front of it. Tourists can throw coins into it in hopes of returning to the Eternal City, thus continuing the long-standing tradition.
For years, the money collected in this manner has been donated to the Roman charity organisation Caritas for charitable purposes. Annually, this amounts to up to €1.5 million (around £1.3 million).
Tourists' opinions on setting up a small pool next to the empty fountain are mixed. Some are pleased that despite the renovation of the famous site, they can make a wish and toss a coin into the water. Others believe that the pool, resembling a bathtub, looks absurd, and they see the effort to collect money from tourists as excessive.
Works in Rome
As part of the fountain's ongoing renovation, a platform is planned to be built over the water surface, from which visitors can admire the Baroque masterpiece. City authorities announced that once the work is completed, the number of people who can view the fountain at one time will be limited, and in the future, they do not rule out introducing a symbolic fee.
Currently, the Trevi Fountain is surrounded by transparent panels and fencing, through which it can be viewed, but direct access to the monument is not possible. The city's authorities plan to complete all work before the inauguration of the Holy Year in 2025 to restore the full splendour of one of Rome's most important tourist attractions.
Source: PAP/X @Libertatea
