What happens to the coins thrown into the Trevi fountain in Rome? In addition to making a wish, throwing a coin in the water will make you someone good!
The idea of throwing a coin in a fountain and making a wish has become something banal, but it is particularly romantic to do so at the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
Indeed, it is a legend that drives millions of tourists to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain over their shoulder. But what happens to the pieces? You suspect that since time, a mountain of coins would have formed in the basin. You will see where these pieces end, collected several times a week by employees of the city …
BY THE WAY, WHY DO WE THROW COINS INTO THE TREVI FOUNTAIN IN ROME?
Photo credit: Flickr – daisy.images
The legend comes from the film “The Fountain of Love” (1954): throw a coin (the back turned to the basin) in the famous Trevi Fountain, considered the most beautiful baroque fountain in Italy, and you’ll be sure to visit Rome again.
The legend goes even further than that and says that by throwing two pieces instead of one, you’ll make sure you find love and three, get married.
BUT WHERE ARE THE COINS GOING?
The Trevi Fountain is all about a tourist attraction, but millions of visitors flock to the mid-18th century place every year to participate in this tradition. In fact, the fountain is filled so quickly with coins that the employees of the city of Rome sweep every evening the bottom of the basin to collect the booty of the day.
1.4 MILLION EUROS COLLECTED EACH YEAR IN THE FAMOUS FOUNTAIN
In 2016, 1.4 million euros were raised and donated to Caritas , a Catholic charity that supports global causes related to health, disaster relief, poverty and migration.
That’s 26.923 € per week and 3835 € per day!
A WELL-FRAMED ROUTINE
Every morning, before the arrival of tourists, the circulation of water is cut off. The fountain is brushed clean and the pieces are collected with long poles and collected by suction under the supervision of the police.
The collected parts are cleaned, weighed, counted and delivered to Caritas. The organization uses the money for many charity initiatives: 27% of the sum raised is used to finance a free supermarket for families in difficulty, 32% to finance social integration programs, 8% for canteens Caritas and 31% for its reception facilities.
Before being sucked, the pieces are gathered in the center of the Trevi Fountain – Photo credit: meridian.net
In 2005, 500.000 € per year were collected in the fountain. In 2016, this number almost tripled to 1.4 million euros. But money is not the only thing we find in the fountain. Among the pieces, one often finds other objects like glasses, key-rings, religious medallions and even dentures according to a member of the association Caritas.
The coins are then collected and placed in bags under the supervision of the police – Photo credit: meridian.net
More about the Trevi FountainOriginally designed by Nicola Salvi and completed in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini, the Trevi Fountain took three decades to be built and is 26 meters high and 50 meters wide. Its name comes from the three streets – “to be alive” , in Italian – which lead to the fountain: Via Dei Crocicchi, Via Poli and Via Delle Muratte.
The fountain was renovated in 2015 for a sum of 2 million euros funded by the Italian fashion group Fendi. The LED lighting has been added, and the marble facade, which represents the mythological figures of the Ocean, Abundance and Salubrity, has been restored.
Access to the Trevi Fountain is free but if you plan to visit the other monuments of Rome such as the Coliseum, the Roman Forum or the Vatican, do not hesitate to book online and in advance your visits to our site! This will help you avoid queues and save time during your stay in Rome.
