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The second day at night in the city of Rome was not quite at rest for some of us, the original plan to see the city at night was still fresh for some of us, about a half wanted to come back to see Rome at night, at an extra cost which was well worth it. After dinner at the hotel about 8PM, the bus turned around and came back about 30min one way from the inner of Rome to other city locations. We were not sure where we were going, but it must be good. The main tour guide stayed back, we got Ed, our EU tour guide with us. The bus rendezvoused with a local guide on a street corner, she rode with us through the city and explained well the dates, history and stories behind each building, monument, plazas.

We stopped, and hopped by bus then walked at several places through the streets and long alleys curving between buildings, following our tour guide Ed and his group identification flag, raised high above the crowd. The streets at night at some locations were very much alive, there were pop-up shops along the street lights, especially the restaurants and diners with table sets out on the streets, covered with shiny paved cobblestones against the light reflection at night, and the streets were clean, safe for night strollers. The weather in the November at night was mild; a light jacket would be needed.

We walked through alleys to a congested area full of people; here it was the famous Rome century of icon, the Trevi fountain glowing like a giant in the light, slide IMG_1689_90 against the enclosing building in the surroundings. There was more young population hanging out here, the atmosphere was very jovial. Appeared mostly among the crowds were visitors like us watching in marvel of the Rome architecture of the 1700s. We hung out a little longer here, had some ice cream and continued following the guide through the next alleys and streets.

Through other alleys we went to the Piazza Navona, slides IMG_1739 to IMG_1755 the monumental building in the backdrop was closed for the night, the front historical statues were under renovation. The plaza ran along its long length was much vacant at night, yet there were youngsters hanging around in the dim lit square. We walked around and went on to the next location, by another bus hopping.

One of the places we stopped by the night was the Pantheon, closed for the night; we stopped in front of this obscure, dark super structure in the square between the facade and its obelisk within the piazza. Some pictures were taken here with some luck due to difficult low lighting. The area was dimly lit, and had some outdoor table sets from restaurant with some lights which defined the outside landscape of this ancient Roman engineering marvel.

The rest of the busing hopping was some Rome historical monuments and architectures appeared quickly through the bus windows as shown through the rest of this gallery.


_________HISTORY of TREVI FOUNTAIN, 1762_______

In 1629 Pope Urban VIII, finding the earlier fountain insufficiently dramatic, asked Bernini to sketch possible renovations, but when the Pope died the project was abandoned. Bernini's lasting contribution was to relocate the fountain from the other side of the square to face the Quirinal Palace (so the Pope could look down and enjoy it). Though Bernini's project was torn down for Salvi's fountain, there are many Bernini touches in the fountain as it was built. Work began in 1732, and the fountain was completed in 1762, long after Clement's death, when Pietro Bracci's 'Neptune' was set in the central niche. Salvi died in 1751. The Trevi Fountain was finished in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini, who substituted the present bland allegories for planned sculptures of Agrippa and "Trivia", the Roman virgin.

The backdrop for the fountain is the Palazzo Poli, a facade with a giant order of Corinthian pilasters that link the two main stories. Taming of the waters is the theme of the gigantic scheme that tumbles forward, mixing water and rockwork, and filling the small square. Tritons guide Neptune's shell chariot, taming seahorses (hippocamps).

In the center is superimposed a robustly modeled triumphal arch. The center niche or Neptune has free-standing columns for maximal light-and-shade. In the niches flanking Neptune, Abundance spills water from her urn and Salubrity holds a cup from which a snake drinks. Above, bas reliefs illustrate the Roman origin of the aqueducts.

The tritons and horses provide symmetrical balance, with the maximum contrast in their mood and poses.

COIN THROWING

A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain.
Approximately 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day and are collected at night. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy.


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