Italy Trip 16

Here's a whole set of images of the Fontana di Trevi, one of the most famous landmarks in Rome. It's located in a very small plaza, that was crowded with tourists. All of the roads and alleys leading into the square are filled with vendors. The legend says that if you throw a coin into the fountain, some day you will return to Roma. This shot gives you an idea of the statuary at the rear of the fountain:

Here's a broader view, giving you some idea of how crowded the area was (sorry about the shadows):

Here's a view of the front of the fountain. Some locals had little nets that they were surreptitiously using to fish out coins (though you don't see that here). There were cops around trying to make sure no one filched the riches in the water.

Here's a close-up of one of the statues:

And another shot from the back side of the fountain:

This was really quite impressive to see in person, and I guess I'm not alone in that sentiment, given the throngs pressed into a relatively small area. Given the size of the fountain itself, it seems a little odd that it occupies such a tight little corner of the city, especially since there are so many massive piazzas everywhere else. I wonder how this one ended up in such close quarters (if the square was built up around it, or maybe the builders tried to squirrel it away in an out-of the-way place?).