A Voice of the "Eternal City"

The sight and sound of Rome's many fountains moved Italian composer Ottorino Respighi to compose a suite entitled "The Fountains of Rome." One of the most stunning examples is the Trevi Fountain.

The huge Trevi fountain is a 65 feet wide and 85 feet high that dominates a small square. The Trevi Fountain was commissioned by Pope Clement X11 and designed by Italian architect Niccolo Salvi. Construction was started in 1732 and completed in 1762. The fountain is fed by the first-century B.C.E. Aqua Virgo aqueduct, which begins some eight miles from the city.

The theme of the fountain, which is built against the facade of a palace, is the sea. The mythical figure was Oceanus (or some say Neptune) stands proudly in his shell-shaped chariot, controlling the flood that cascades beneath him. As water gushes around the other figures and tumbles over the rocks below, it sounds like waves crashing against the shore. The basin takes up a large part of the piazza, giving the impression that the whole square is part of the fountain.

Every day hundreds of visitors pour into the tiny square and toss coins into what is one of Rome's biggest tourist attraction. Once a week, the fountain is drained. The money left by tourist, which average $11,000 a week, is then collected and donated to a religious charity. Trevi Fountain is just among the many fountains that is admired by visitors of Rome, the "Eternal City."