Wednesday, May 28, 2008

That's an Old Fountain

Although The Trevi Fountain may be the largest and most beautiful there are hundreds upon hundreds of water fountains around Rome. They go from the smallest of just drinking fountains to the largest optical amazement's such as The Trevi. The Trevi is also not as old as many other fountains in Rome. One of the oldest presumed fountains is Fountain of Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. The oldest date it appeared on a map was in 1471. This fountain was thought to be a restoration of an even older fountain. This fountain was one of the only ones found in a poor district and was always lacking a rich and continuous supply of water. Later Alessandro VII Chigi finally increased their water supply and moved the fountain to the center of the square. Throughout the years the fountain has been modified in many different ways, and in 1692 Pope Innocent the XII had it cleaned probably increasing the capacity of the basin and moving the shells so that they face inward almost to protect them. In 1873 the Municipality of Rome re-built the fountain in bardiglio marble.

http://www.italyprivatetours.it/home/Monument.asp?ids=223&City=FOUNTAIN%20OF%20PIAZZA%20SANTA%20MARIA%20IN%20TRASTEVERE

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