Rome's Trevi Fountain Opens with a Metal Walkway: Crowds and Coins under Control

Rome just gave tourists an unusual opportunity to see the Trevi Fountain up close. A temporary metal walkway was set up, allowing people to get a great view of the 18th-century statue of Oceanus and his chariot while the fountain undergoes restoration. The walkway can hold 130 people at a time, giving everyone a chance to admire the details of the famous sculpture. But there's a catch—tossing coins into the fountain is now illegal. Anyone caught will face a fine of €50 ($54). Instead, tourists can throw their coins into a small temporary basin next to the walkway. The restoration project is expected to last until December and will cost around $330, 000. The walkway and basin are part of the city's effort to balance conservation and tourism. By monitoring how many people use the walkway at different times, Rome can improve crowd control. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri aims to make the experience unique and prevent overcrowding.The walkway reveals something interesting—millions of dents in the stone ridge from tossed coins and thousands of round rust marks from coins sitting in the water. Every year, over €1. 5 million ($1. 6 million) in change is collected from the fountain and donated to charity. However, the coins have harmed the monument over time. Once the restoration is complete, the city plans to introduce a ticketing system to manage crowds better. American tourist Arlene Speling from Florida expressed doubt that the new measures would help with crowd control. She thought people would be happy to pay a small fee to see the fountain. The restoration is part of Rome’s preparations for the Vatican’s Holy Jubilee in 2025, when the city expects millions of additional visitors. The last major restoration was in 2014, but this time, the mayor promises the work will be done in just five weeks.