Diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of the right lung on my 58th birthday (14th July) So not really ...
Diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of the right lung on my 58th birthday (14th July) So not really in the humour for writing much at the moment, although I *WILL* be back before too long...Ken
Member since:06.12.2000
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~ ~ One of the most famous and well known tourist attractions in Rome is the famous Trevi Fountain, just a hop, skip, and jump from the equally famous Spanish Steps, and next door to the “English Ghetto” area, where the renowned romantic poets Keats and Shelley both sat and drank their Chianti while composing their immortal prose.
~ ~ Immortalised forever in the famous 1954 movie, “Three Coins In The Fountain”, the legend has it that anyone who tosses a coin over their left shoulder into the waters of this fountain will ensure that they will once again visit the famous ancient city of Rome before they die. Thus literally millions of coins are thrown into its waters, that are then collected by the Roman authorities and the money donated to worthwhile charities.
~ ~ The fountain was originally built in the early 18th century, and was the work of an architect called Nicola Salvi, who won a competition run to find the most popular design instigated by the then Pope, Clemente XII. Work was started in 1735, and it took sixteen years to build, being officially completed in 1751. It is built in the “Baroque” style, and features the God of the Sea, Neptune, as its central feature, flanked on each side by a pair of tritons, who are said to symbolise the different moods of the ocean. The huge structure sits in front of the Church of Saints Vincent and Anastasius, but it is said that there was a fountain here dating back to the times of the early Roman Empire, when a young Roman girl is said to have discovered a natural spring here that intersected the three roads of Rome (the "tre vie", hence the modern name)
~ ~ When it was first built, it had a very practical purpose. To supply good drinking water for the Roman citizenry, and its water was considered for centuries to be the softest and nicest tasting anywhere in the city. So much so that innumerable Popes had countless barrels of it imported to the Vatican each week for their own personal use. Sadly, in these modern times, it is no longer considered safe, and no one has been allowed to taste it since 1961, when it was declared unsafe for human consumption by the authorities.
~ ~ The Trevi Fountain is one of the most majestic and imposing pieces of sculptor that you will see anywhere in Rome, a city renowned for its works of art. The area is constantly thronged with tourists from all over the globe, and the nearby Spanish Steps are a famous meeting place, where people sit around and enjoy the Roman sunshine, eating snacks, drinking wine, and generally enjoying life. Be sure to try the roasted chestnuts that are sold by the street vendors; totally delicious!
~ ~ If you ever get to visit Rome, make sure you go to visit this beautiful fountain, and don’t forget to throw in your coin to make sure you will return for another visit to the “Eternal City”.
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Dec 31st, 2000
(Jun 22nd, 2001)
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