Just like Tyler said…..”Walk this way”

So, Collette convinced me to get up early to walk to Trevi fountain to avoid the crowds. Fine. Got up at the ungodly hour of 6am, skipped the shower, brushed teeth, combed hair and off to the fountain. Didn’t even have a coffee before setting out on this pre-dawn adventure, how uncivilized!

Really a different feeling that early in the morning, vendors are starting to set up in Campo di Fiori, not a single tour group is out and about, and most of the folks we see have either spent their night sleeping on the church steps or are rushing to sites before the crowds. We fit right in, looking like we slept on the stairs so pretty much everyone leaves us alone.

Got to the fountain and wouldn’t you know it, about 30 people beat us to the punch. That’s fine, when we past the Pantheon there were only 2 people and a truck. Had it all to ourselves!

Pantheon at 7am

Pantheon at 12pm

Obelisk from ancient Egypt – Ramses II

Even with 30 or so people there’s plenty of room around the fountain. Lots of pictures and even a chance to throw coins into the pool and as legend has it, secure a return trip to Rome. Hope the hell the next one doesn’t cost as much as this one!

Trevi fountain at 12pm

Trevi fountain at 7am

OK, boring stuff but yes, you’re going to read it! Trevi fountain (Three Streets fountain) was built in around 19BC (Before Collette) at the end of the Aqua Virgo (Virgin Waters) aqueduct and it looked nothing like the masterpiece that is there today. How the fountain came about is the same as most stories of ancient artifacts, a competition was held to design a more fashionable fountain but that wasn’t until the 1700”s. Up to that time it was nothing more than a pipe spewing water. The competition was held by Pope Clemens XII and a man named Alessandro Galileo (lesser known family member of the Galileo’s) won the toss but the town’s people said, “ugh ugh, no can do”, because he wasn’t a local. So, in a fair and square deal, a dude named Nicola Salvi was given the job. Somewhere around 1750’s, Salvi was just about finished and then, he was finished – punched out early on the job. The fountain was close to being complete but needed a few final touches, just 11 years’ worth.

So now we have a fountain that draws thousands of tourists weekly and brings in tons of moolah. Everyone there has heard the fable that if you throw money into the fountain, you’ll come back to Rome. How ridiculous! We threw money in the fountain the first time we were here so no chance we’re going to do it again.

Got some great photos with just a few other early birds so heading back to the apartment for breakfast and then out on our days adventure.

You know what’s truly amazing….everything you see here was carved from stone. No 3D printing, no CGI, no mass produced resin forms, hand-formed with a hammer and chisel! Amazing!

Walk this way part 2 coming soon…..