Fact Finder - General Knowledge

Fact
The Coin Toss Tradition: Trevi Fountain
Category
General Knowledge
Subcategory
Famous Landmarks
Country
Italy
Description
The Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome and one of the most famous in the world. Designed by Nicola Salvi and completed in 1762, it is built at the terminal point of the Aqua Virgo, an ancient Roman aqueduct that still supplies water to the city's center today. The fountain depicts Oceanus (the god of the sea) on a shell-shaped chariot pulled by two seahorses, representing the 'abrupt' and 'tranquil' moods of the ocean. A famous legend dictates that throwing a coin into the fountain over your left shoulder with your right hand ensures a return trip to Rome. This tradition generates an estimated €3,000 every day, which is collected and donated to charity to help the city's poor.