Cast your minds back to early November, and you might remember that there was a tonne of outrage from tourists who had travelled all the way to Rome to see the Trevi Fountain.
Why? Well, because the masterpiece (which is one of the Italian capital’s most popular landmarks) had been drained for a big old cleanup ahead of the Vatican’s Jubilee Year of Hope – and it didn’t look great.
But the Trevi is far from the only fountain in Rome, and another one, which was closed for a seven-month restoration period, has just reopened.
The Fountain of the Four Rivers is located in Piazza Navona, that lovely open square just a five minute stroll from the Pantheon, and was designed by master of Baroque design Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It reopened on December 19, with Rome’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri switching on the water.
Closed for a pre-Jubilee scrub, restorers were tasked with removing limescale and algae and treating the fountain for damage caused by smog and mineral deposits that had built up since its last restoration two decades ago.
But why is this one so special? According to Claudio Parisi Presicce, Rome’s superintendent for cultural heritage, the Fountain of the Four Rivers is just as vital to the city as the Trevi Fountain, and it was built for a historic jubilee back in 1650.
Three other historic fountains – the one in front of the Pantheon, as well as the Fountain of Neptune and the Fountain of the Moor (which sit at either end of the Piazza Navona) – had their restorations completed in November.
Clearly there are quite a few places in Rome that have been given a refresh ahead of this momentous year – you can read more about the Jubilee of Hope here, and why we named it the best thing to do in the world in 2025.
Did you see that these are the world’s top destinations for travel over the festive period, according to Skyscanner?
Plus: Why are Rome’s restaurants making a ‘carbonara pact’?
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