The amount collected each year at the Trevi Fountain is significant.
OR Trevi Fountainan 18th-century Baroque masterpiece, is one of the most famous and presentable tourist attractions in the world. It is in her heart of Rome and attracts millions of visitors every year. During the summer months, the fountain is often surrounded by crowds of tourists eager to capture its beauty in photographs.
Her charm Trevi Fountain it lies not only in its grandeur, but also in the centuries-old tradition that has become synonymous with it. Legend has it that if you toss a coin into the fountain using your right hand over your left shoulder, you will one day return to Rome. This ritual has been embraced by countless visitors over the years, each making a wish before tossing their coin into the water. The tradition has lasted for generations, becoming a beloved part of the Trevi Fountain experience.
What happens to the coins thrown into the fountain? Interestingly, coins are collected twice a week and signs around the fountain inform visitors that the money goes to charitable purposes. The collection process itself has become something of a spectacle. According to a Reuters report, workers from the regional utility company ACEA are balancing on the edge of the huge fountain, using long brooms and suction tubes to collect the coins. “Collection and clean-up operations are being carried out as quickly as possible to try to minimize fountain downtimesaid Francesco Prisco, director of ACEA.
Tourists throw over €1 million into Italy’s Trevi Fountain each year. pic.twitter.com/GVAIfciJSg
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) March 24, 2024
The money collected from Trevi Fountain are used by Caritas to support a series charitable initiatives at Romeincluding a food bank, a ration kitchen and various welfare programs that provide essential services to the city’s most vulnerable residents. This partnership has turned the simple act of flipping a coin into a powerful means of giving back to the community.
In 2022, Caritas collected the impressive amount of 1.4 million euros from the fountain. The organization expects to have raised even more in 2023. This impressive amount underlines the continued popularity of Trevi Fountain and the generosity of its visitors, who unknowingly contribute to charitable purposes every time they partake in this beloved Roman tradition.
The Trevi Fountain in Rome has been getting tens of thousands of visitors a day this summer. Rome’s City Council is considering charging a fee of two euros to visit the monument in order to prevent overcrowding. pic.twitter.com/WtdX1ZGytk
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 6, 2024
