Tourists who want to get to the world-famous Trevi Fountain in Rome have been paying an entrance fee since Monday. There is a charge for entering the fenced area right next to the water tank a fee of two euros. With this measure, the Italian metropolis is trying prevent overcrowding, protect one of Rome’s main tourist attractions and direct the movement of visitors. The DPA agency informed about it.
The new system applies from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with the exception of Monday and Friday, when the entrance fee is collected from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The large square in front of the fountain is still accessible to everyone.
Tickets can be purchased in advance through a dedicated website in English and Italian that has been up and running for a few days. They can also be paid by credit card upon entry to the fountain or buy in several tourist information centers.
Residents of Rome, persons with disabilities and their companions, as well as children under the age of six, do not have to pay. The money from the entrance fee will be used to restore the fountain.
The Trevi Fountain was built between 1732 and 1762 according to the design of the Italian Baroque architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Tens of thousands of people visit it every day to take pictures or throw coins into the tank. The number of visitors has been limited for about a year now – a maximum of 400 people can be at the reservoir at a time. Last year, the fountain was visited by more than ten million visitors. On the most disturbed days, up to 70,000 people crowded around it.
