Overview
Nicola Salvi won the papal competition for a monumental fountain in 1732; after his death in 1751, Giuseppe Pannini saw it to completion in 1762. It is the terminal fountain of the Acqua Vergine, heir to the ancient Aqua Virgo aqueduct of 19 BC.
Description
Against the facade of the Palazzo Poli, the sea god Oceanus rides a shell chariot drawn by winged horses and tritons through sculpted travertine reefs — a piece of theater some 26 meters high and 49 meters wide.
History and legacy
The coin-throwing custom draws thousands of visitors daily, and the coins are collected for charity. Anita Ekberg’s wade through the basin in La Dolce Vita (1960) fixed the fountain in film history; a major restoration renewed it in 2014–2015.