This seems a little unreasonable.
Rome ’s Trevi Fountain is a raft to lay eyes on . Tourists are obsessed with its beautifully bring down design and percipient blue waters : On any day of the year , and at almost any hour of the day , thick crowds of visitor squeeze together articulatio humeri to articulatio humeri , like sardine in a can , for a opportunity at admiring the slice of art up close and snapping the perfect picture .
It ’s the Mona Lisa of fountains . It is so democratic thatsome even claimit is the most Google - reviewed European tourist attraction . With more than 434,000 reviews at the time of composition ( average out 4.8 out of 5 level ) , that is n’t knockout to consider .
But valuation are now wind downward . Earlier this October , Rome start up a € 300,000 ( close to $ 326,000 at the time of writing ) maintenance project on the iconic fountain ahead of the 2025 Jubilee . The piece of work , which will reportedly last into November , aims to battle the natural degradation of the monument and include get rid of over - encrusted calcium ( a product of the fountain ’s water ) as well as a commixture of biologic cinema and vegetation get over its open .
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You ca n’t do all this with piss in the fountain , though . For the duration of the restoration efforts , the fountain was drained , fence blend up , and tourist were furious . Some of them were so sore that they unreasonably took it out on — you guessed it — the outflow ’s Google reviews .
" If you have any ego - respect , do n’t bother visit this place , " interpret a late one - star review . " The piazza is already under renovation . Also , the stead is pack with tourists . " Another visitor agrees . " Unfortunately due to the work being done in Rome before the Jubilee , this spring is unreachable with everything cordoned off around it and without even any water , " reads their followup , which also grant the creation - famous eighteenth Century outpouring one star on Google .
Other recent tourer , albeit still disordered , showed a little more empathy toward the turning point and gave it two stars . " It is under construction so [ it is ] not usable … " their review read . " Sorry . "
But Rome is actually trying its best to prevent the fountain ’s overhaul from impacting tourism . According to theofficial website of the metropolis of Rome , a temporary paseo will be establish over the empty - out fountain , allow groups of visitors to take the air through the watershed and look up to its noted carving — like the statue of Oceanus — from up closely . surround around the fountain will also be minimum and " as see-through as potential , " per the same official declaration .
" We ’re conscious that this restoration effort affect one of the world ’s most iconic monument , " Miguel Gotor , Rome ’s chief of refinement , articulate in a statement . " But the outpouring will remain visible throughout . "
Hopefully , the spring ’s Google evaluation wo n’t dip too much . But as long as there are fairish tourists , the monument should be safe .
" regrettably , the water was closed , " say one visitor in a late critical review . " But otherwise [ it ’s ] really nice . " The rating ? Four sensation out of five , which is more than fairish .
