Visiting Rome implies, for many tourists, to go through one of its best known points and participate in a ritual associated with the city. The gesture involves using a source and the tradition of launching a coin for water.
An iconic work of the Italian capital
Trevi’s source was built between 1732 and 1762 and designed by Nicola Salvi. It represents the domination of the waters through the mythological figure of the ocean, which appears in a shell-shaped car pulled by seahorses.
One of the creatures is quiet and the other proves agitated, symbolizing the different facets of the sea. The monumental set is framed by large corinthial columns.
The origin of the gesture of launching coins
According to tradition, those who want to follow the custom should be on their backs to the source and throw a coin over the left shoulder with the right hand.
This habit has gained notoriety with the movie “Three Coins in the Fountain”, 1954, and is associated with the belief that the visitor will return to the city.
Every day, says the news channel, about 3,000 euros end at the bottom of this source, a value that can reach 1.5 million euros over a year.
The collection process
Periodically, the city’s teams travel to the scene to collect the accumulated money. The operation involves the use of long -haired brushes to form currencies in the background, the same source refers.
Then the money is removed through a suction hose and placed in bags under police supervision.
Before 2001, there were frequent records of coin theft attempts, which led the municipality to take action.
The destination of the money
From this year, the municipality decided that all the money collected would be destined to a local institution. This measure has eliminated the recurring problems of improper appropriation.
Since then, the value has been delivered to Caritas de Rome, an organization that develops various social support projects.
The amount from the source currently represents about 15% of the annual budget of this institution.
Caritas uses the money to maintain social cafeteria, shelters, free supermarkets and other services for vulnerable people.
Part of the funds also finances a complex on the outskirts of Rome with the elderly home, canteen and dental office for residents in economic difficulties.
The tradition of launching coins at source remains, associating a symbolic gesture with a real contribution to social causes.
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