City

New lights for Rome's Trevi Fountain

19 Sep, 2019

Rome mayor lights up Trevi Fountain.

Rome's Trevi Fountain has been illuminated with a new light system, inaugurated by the city's mayor Virginia Raggi on the night of 18 September.

The mayor said the positioning of the 90 led flood-lights, some of which are immersed in the fountain's water, was studied in "every single element and detail."

Raggi said the monument, newly-illuminated by the capital's multi-utility ACEA, had the power to "amaze, because this is what Rome must do."

Tossing the customary coin into the fountain, the mayor also acknowledged the "truly precious and exquisite restoration" carried out by the luxury fashion house Fendi in 2015.

The illumination is a good news story for the Baroque monument which regularly attracts negative headlines, from people jumping into the water to tourists brawling over space for the perfect selfie.

Tourists behaving badly at the Trevi Fountain last year

During the summer Rome banned tourists from sitting or lying down at the base of the Baroque fountain.

The new light system follows similar projects at Castel S. Angelo, the Theatre of Marcellus, Rome's Synagogue, the Palatine Hill, the Pyramid of Cestius and Porta di S. Paolo, Piazza del Campidoglio and the Castle at S. Severa.