Tourists Toss Coins over a Makeshift Pool as Rome’s Trevi Fountain Undergoes Maintenance

 A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
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Tourists Toss Coins over a Makeshift Pool as Rome’s Trevi Fountain Undergoes Maintenance

 A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)

Tourists eager to return to the Eternal City are being forced to toss coins over a plastic barrier and into a small makeshift pool in front of Rome’s Trevi Fountain while the attraction is being drained for maintenance.

The rectangular box, unadorned and showing its plywood finish, has elicited mixed reactions. “I think it is a very sweet gesture that people can still do that," said Marianna Strekstadt, visiting from the Netherlands on Friday. A cashless traveler, she was taking a pass.

Others, like Daniela Carbone, found the substitute pool “ugly.” Yet, she gave her kids some coins to throw in anyway. “We have to please the children,” she said.

City lore has it that tossing a coin into the Baroque fountain will ensure a return trip to Rome. This tradition generates an estimated 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) annually, which has been donated to the Catholic charity Caritas for the past 15 years.

To manage the overwhelming number of tourists visiting the fountain, Rome City officials are devising a plan to block off the area around the fountain. Visitors will be required to book online and then pay a fee of 2 euros ($2.20) to get in. Once inside, they will have 30 minutes to enjoy the fountain.



Saudi Culture Minister Extends Banan Exhibition to November 30

The exhibition features craft arts, live demonstrations, workshops, interactive experiences, and booths for entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as a children's area. SPA
The exhibition features craft arts, live demonstrations, workshops, interactive experiences, and booths for entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as a children's area. SPA
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Saudi Culture Minister Extends Banan Exhibition to November 30

The exhibition features craft arts, live demonstrations, workshops, interactive experiences, and booths for entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as a children's area. SPA
The exhibition features craft arts, live demonstrations, workshops, interactive experiences, and booths for entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as a children's area. SPA

Due to popular demand, Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan extended the Saudi International Handicrafts Week (Banan) Exhibition at Riyadh's Roshn Front until November 30 after touring the event on Wednesday.

The exhibition features craft arts, live demonstrations, workshops, interactive experiences, and booths for entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as a children's area.

More than 500 Saudi artisans and participants from 25 countries are taking part in Banan, a unique platform to celebrate traditional crafts, support artisans, and facilitate the sale of their work.

The Saudi Heritage Commission, which organized the event, aims to raise awareness of handicrafts as an important element of cultural heritage, ensuring their preservation for future generations.