LA DOLCE VITA FLATS: THE RIONE TREVI
The neighbourhood Trevi is the rione II of Rome. The origin of its name is not clear, yet, but the most accepted possibility is that it comes from the Latin trivium (meaning "three streets"), because there were three streets all leading to "Piazza dei Crociferi", a square next to the modern Trevi square.
According to a different theory, Trevi comes from the name of the site where the water of the Aqua Virgo sprung from during the Middle Ages.
In fact, the original ancient springs of this aqueduct had been abandoned in favour of others, whose place was named Trebium.
Its logo is made of three swords on a red background.
The main spot of the district is one of Rome's symbols, which receives the daily visit of thousands of tourists from all over the world: the Trevi Fountain.
Resting on one side of Palazzo Poli, the fountain's sculptures feature the allegory of Ocean, riding among the rocks on a shell-shaped chariot driven by two horses, while the water, gushing from several outputs, gathers into a very large basin.
The small size of the square enhances the really awing effect of the huge composition.
The Trevi Fountain was built in 1751 as a monumental output of the Aqua Virgo, the only ancient roman aqueduct which continuously worked up to our days, as a replacement of a much smaller fountain built in the 1450s on the occasion of one of the aqueduct's many restorations.
It is a renowned tradition for tourists to throw a coin into this fountain, to grant their coming back to Rome one day.


On the top of the steep Quirinal Hill, not far from the fountain, the Quirinal Palace was built in the mid 16th century as a summer dwelling for the popes, who very soon decided to move here steadily. In 1870 it became the royal family's mansion, and in 1948 it was chosen as the official residence of the President.
Its famous gardens cover most of the Quirinal's top, while a tunnel opened beneath the estate in the early 1900s connects the busy streets on the opposite sides of the hill.
In front of the palace is a fountain overlooked by the statues of Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Jupiter, and by a roman obelisk.
The crossing where Via del Quirinale turns into Via XX Settembre, marked by four small fountains in the corners, is a famous spot: from here, three ancient obelisks can be seen in the distance, in three different directions.
One stands by the aforesaid Quirinal Palace, one is at the top of the Spanish Steps (towards the north-west, in Rione IV, Campo Marzio), and one is in the opposite direction, facing the basilica of S.Maria Maggiore (in Rione I, Monti).

Halfway down the steep via delle Quattro Fontane, on the northern side of the street, a huge gate gives access to the grounds of the city's largest baroque mansion, Palazzo Barberini (1633), which the powerful family had drawn by three different architects among the best ones active in Rome, such as Bernini, Borromini and Maderno.
The building's plan, though, appears very similar to Villa Farnesina in Trastevere, which likely inspired its authors.
Palazzo Barberini now houses a section of the National Gallery of Ancient Art; several temporary art exhibitions are often held here, as well.
And in a corner of the same square is a smaller fountain by the same sculptor, in the shape of a tall sea-shell with three big bees resting on its base, which celebrates Urban VIII, who was the artist's sponsor (the bees were the arms of the Barberini family, whom the pope belonged to).