Three coins in the fountain, Each one seeking happiness.
Thrown by three hopeful lovers, Which one will the fountain bless?
The wistful words of Sammy Cahn’s lyrics have taken on an ironic twist lately, as the City of Rome puts in a claim to keep the coins tossed into the Trevi Fountain by visitors. Up to now, they’ve been donated to Caritas, a Catholic charity which is not feeling charitable about possibly losing the income.
And the money is no small change. Last year, city workers dredged over €1.5 million in coins from the 1732 fountain that became world-famous through two films, the 1954 Three Coins in the Fountain and Fellini’s 1960 classic La Dolce Vita, which featured Anita Ekberg wading in the fountain in a black evening dress. The tradition of tossing a coin to ensure returning to Rome started from the 1954 film.
Mayor Virginia Raggi, whose administration has been under attack for failing to keep the trash picked up and streets repaired, says the cash-strapped city needs the money for fix-up work, including possibly paying off nearly 5,000 drivers who have filed claims for injuries from potholes.
Caritas, founded in 1971, uses the donations for help to homeless people and families in financial difficulty; they have received the fountain money since 2001. It says it has had an outpouring of support since the city announced that starting in April it would keep the money, but others have questioned why they should receive it.
Which one will the fountain bless?
