Trevi Fountain, with its magnificent baroque features, is truly one of the most enduring sights and symbols of Rome. Ever since it was immortalized in classic films, the fountain has become an icon and can’t-miss, must-see Rome attraction. But, this world-famous landmark may soon lose part of its appeal, as the city council mulls over the fountain’s fate.
While it’s not official as of today, there’s a possibility that the fountain will be partially off-limits to tourists.
Andrea Coia, the president of Rome’s business committee, proposed to build a barrier around Trevi Fountain to limit access to visitors.
So why did Coia make this proposal?
The barrier, if the proposal ever gets approved, will prevent tourists from sitting on the marble or jumping into the water. Although both of which are currently forbidden, it still happens quite often.
Furthermore, there have been countless of reports of vandalism and visitors misbehaving badly.
In 2019, there was an American traveler who was caught bathing in Trevi Fountain. Even worse, three drunk tourists from Australia were also reprimanded by the officials after pouring their drinks into the fountain’s water.
And, there have been some visitors who would scratch their names or initials into the fountain’s stone foundation. Amazingly, there are also tourists who are fighting literally over the best selfie spot at Trevi Fountain. After years of dealing with misbehaving tourists, the local residents and business owners have eventually become fed up.
Spearheaded by the Coai, these people are now urging the local officials to build a barricade to help preserve one of the most symbolic places in Rome.
The barricade will also help protect the visitors
Not only will the barricade keep the fountain safe and damage-free, but it will also guarantee safety for its visitors.
It will give more space to tourists, meaning there will be fewer fistfights among tourists who want to get the top selfie spot.
And, it provides better protection from slick pickpockets as well as put a stop to some illegal commercial activities that happen in front of Trevi Fountain.
How did it become so popular?
For decades, the fountain has been a major tourist draw, sparked by the flick Three Coins the Fountain. In this film, three single ladies threw coins over their shoulders, wishing for a husband.
Since then, this good luck ritual has become a must-try experience in Rome. As a matter of fact, Rome’s officials retrieve more than $3,000 from the fountain every day.
The fountain also had been featured in La Dolce Vita, a 1960s classic that saw Anita Ekberg and Mastroianni splashing in the fountain. Apparently, that movie scene gave motivation to the arrested American tourist in 2019.
The city council, thus far, hasn’t made a final decision. But, expect some news about the Trevi Fountain from us pretty soon.
So, what do you think? Do you like the idea of having barrier around Trevi Fountain?
