Mockery in the social media Rome replaces tourist attraction with paddling pool
When in Rome, a visit to the Trevi Fountain is a must. Throwing coins into the water is a tradition. Surprise for tourists: the fountain is dry - so where to put the coins?
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- Throwing a coin or three into the Trevi Fountain is part of the standard program for tourists in Rome.
- Due to renovation work, the Trevi Fountain is no longer accessible.
- Those responsible have set up a paddling pool into which visitors can throw their coins.
Millions of people throw coins into Rome's monumental Trevi Fountain every year. According to popular belief, they will then return to the Eternal City at some point. However, the fountain has recently been pumped dry due to extraordinary restoration work. So where to put the coins? To enable tourists to toss coins anyway, the city council has set up a temporary basin.
Just a few hours after the rectangular pool was set up on the steps to the Trevi Fountain, numerous coins could be found at its bottom. Tourists crowded behind the fences erected almost a month ago to restrict access to the lower section of the fountain and threw their money into the water.
There was much mockery on social media. "Imagine flying several hours by plane to Rome to see the Trevi Fountain and then finding yourself behind a fence in front of a paddling pool," mocked one user. Another user joked on X: "What kind of nonsense is that? It looks like an inflatable pool."
Restoration work for the Holy Year 2025
At the beginning of October, the city of Rome began renovation work on the "Fontana di Trevi". As a first step, the entire lower area of the fountain was cordoned off with fences and fluttering tape. The Roman landmark is to be spruced up for the Holy Year 2025. Next year, access is to remain restricted as part of a pilot project to prevent the fountain from becoming too crowded.
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous sights in Rome. The area around the monumental fountain, which was built in the 18th century, is constantly overcrowded. Tourists bustle around the piazza in front and the water basin from morning to night. The coin toss there is a classic: tourists in particular throw coins backwards over their shoulders into the water - this is said to bring good luck and lead the visitor back to Rome.
Up to 1.5 million euros a year
The small change is regularly fished out of the fountain by workers. In 2022, 33 tons of coins were collected, with a total value of almost 1.5 million euros. In 2023, the amount collected exceeded one and a half million euros, writes "Il Gazzettino".
The city of Rome decided in 2006 that the money in the fountain belonged to it, as the magazine "Travelbook" writes. It is donating it in full to Caritas.
dpa
