|
Visitors to Trevi Fountain
Standing 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, it is the
largest Baroque fountain in Rome and one of the most famous fountains
in the world. Begun in 1732 by Niccolo Salvi, it took 30 years to
build. The centerpiece of the fountain is the figure of Neptune
riding on a shell chariot, standing between winged horses and figures
representing fertility and enduring health. During antiquity, a
glass of the fresh, thirst quenching water from the Trevi
Fountain was said to ensure good fortune and a fast return to Rome.
Over the course of time, this practice was replaced with the tossing of
a coin in the fountain. The precise tradition calls for one to throw
the coin over one's left shoulder while standing with one's back to the
Trevi Fountain, as (almost) seen to right of center in this photo.
It was popularized in the Italian film
"La Dolce Vita" by
Fellini, and in America
"Three Coins in the Fountain"
(1954).
(mouse click on photo twice for an enlargement)
Music Download and Play:
"Three Coins in the Fountain"
. |
