Rome, Day 1: Trevi Fountain

In less than an hour after we landed, the sightseeing began. We walked to Trevi Fountain from our hotel. The famous Trevi Fountain was right in front of us. 

There was no water in the fountain. It's still under restoration. As you can see from the bottom of the picture, there's some scaffolding. I tried very hard to crop it when I took the picture. But it is still visible in this photo. The fountain has been empty due to the restoration since late 2014. No words on when the restoration will be finished. Don't bother planning your trip around the completion of the restoration because the tourism board would not announce the exact date when it will be done. It took them 30 years to build Trevi Fountain. How long do you think the restoration will take? ;) I really couldn't picture one of the loveliest movie scenes (La Dolce Vita) that Marcello and Sylvia wade into this fountain because I saw no water flowing.

This area was swarming with tourists and they just kept coming. It's pretty tricky to do a portrait shot here as Piazza di Trevi is not a big space to begin with and the crowdedness can be overwhelming. Watch out for pickpocketing while you are here gawking at the fountain. 

Let's see what I remember about Trevi Fountain. Nicola Salvi was awarded the commission by Pope Clement XII. Work began in 1732 and was completed in 1762. The fountain is made from Travertine stone. The central niche is Neptune (the God of water and of the sea). It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city.

The above picture is the Trevi Fountain papal coat of arms. 'Clemens XII' (in Latin) is written in the plaque.