by Carole Hill

Created on: January 02, 2009   Last Updated: January 03, 2009

Ah, the glorious Trevi Fountain! To me, there is no fountain more beautiful anywhere in the world. Yes, I know that is quite a bold statement to make, but unless you have stood before it yourself, you can't fully imagine the captivating beauty that unfolds before your very eyes. You can hear the gushing waters even before you see it, and when you enter the square it truly is a breathtaking sight.

I've had three separate occasions to travel to Italy and each time I couldn't resist making my way to the center of Rome for another look at this amazing landmark. You can't help but to linger and stare at all the intricacies of this baroque masterpiece and savor the story it tells.

The Trevi Fountain, better known as Fontana de Trevi, is not just another pretty face! It is not merely another attraction on your list of sightseeing stops. Every inch of the entire facade is filled with historic value. For example, when you look up at the massive columns on the main wall of the structure, it displays classical "order" of Greek and Roman architecture, which were definitive characteristics determining one's origin in those days. The Corinthian order was derived from the Greek city of Corinth; however, I have read that it was often debated whether it was the Corinthians or Athenians who claimed origin of this style of structure.

The fountain's theme of "Taming of the Waters" gives the illusion of raging waters spilling downward over the ornate carvings of tritons, horses, chariots, sea creatures, with Neptune (god of the sea) centered between the calm side and the unrestful side of the sea, as if the power of the waters would flood the township. A statue named "Abundance" spills water from her urn and another statue named "Salubrity" holds a cup from which a snake drinks.

The story of the Roman aqueduct stems from right there at the Trevi. The fountain stands at the juncture of three roads, hence the name Trevi. History has it that Roman soldiers were aided by a virgin maiden, who pointed the way to their discovery of Aqua Virgo, one of the first ancient aqueducts. This duct supplied water to ancient Rome and was the terminal point of the duct. It was customary to build a shrine of some sort at the end of a duct. In times of war, some of these ducts were cut off and medieval Romans were forced to draw water from polluted wells or directly from the Tiber River.

On one of my trips, I booked a room at the Hotel Fontana, which is located in the Piazza de Trevi! Originally, a monastery,

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