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The Trevi Fountain is the terminal point of the Vergine aqueduct, the most famous of Rome's fountains and the most famous in the world for its spectacular monumentality. Documented in the Middle Ages, its name derives from a place name in use in the area since the mid-12th century (regio Trivii), or from the triple outlet of the water from the original fountain.
In 1640, at the behest of Pope Urban VIII (1622-1644), in conjunction with the enlargement of the square, Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed a new fountain oriented like the current one, whose construction was limited to the installation of an exedra base with a basin in front of it, leaning against the buildings that were later incorporated into the Poli Palace.
The construction of the current Trevi Fountain is due to Pope Clement XII (1730-1740), who in 1732 announced a competition in which the leading artists of the time participated. The pontiff chose the most monumental design by architect Nicola Salvi (1697-1751), which was also “the least detrimental to the palace behind it,” on whose façade the entire display is inserted with a careful study of proportions and decorations.
The fountain, designed like a triumphal arch with a deep niche, slopes down towards a large basin with a wide cliff, enlivened by the sculptural representation of numerous plants and the spectacular flow of water. At the center stands the statue of Oceanus driving a shell-shaped chariot, pulled by a fierce horse and a placid horse, restrained by two tritons.
Reliefs alluding to the history of the aqueduct and allegorical figures linked to the beneficial effects of water decorate the façade at various levels. Salvi's work masterfully blends history and nature in a dialectical relationship, as affirmed by the nascent Enlightenment.
The construction was completed by Giuseppe Pannini (c.1720-c.1810), who partially modified the cliff by regularizing the central basins.
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