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Saudi Arabia’s ‘Maghras’ Pavilion Showcases Agricultural Heritage at Milan Triennale

The Kingdom’s pavilion, titled “Maghras: a Farm for Experimentation,” focuses on the Al-Ahsa Oasis. SPA
The Kingdom’s pavilion, titled “Maghras: a Farm for Experimentation,” focuses on the Al-Ahsa Oasis. SPA
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Saudi Arabia’s ‘Maghras’ Pavilion Showcases Agricultural Heritage at Milan Triennale

The Kingdom’s pavilion, titled “Maghras: a Farm for Experimentation,” focuses on the Al-Ahsa Oasis. SPA
The Kingdom’s pavilion, titled “Maghras: a Farm for Experimentation,” focuses on the Al-Ahsa Oasis. SPA

Saudi Arabia will participate for the first time in the 24th edition of the Milan Triennale, running from May 13 to November 9 in Italy.

The Kingdom’s pavilion, titled “Maghras: a Farm for Experimentation,” focuses on the Al-Ahsa Oasis and highlights the significant transformations occurring in its rural agricultural landscape.

Al-Ahsa, with its rich history, is undergoing rapid changes amid global urban and environmental challenges. The pavilion explores the intersection of agricultural cultural heritage, traditional practices, and community narratives against the backdrop of these evolving transformations.
Led by the Ministry of Culture, the Maghras pavilion features a farm and community space where activities and dialogues converge. The project draws on extensive research and offers diverse programs, initiatives, and artistic experiences to engage various societal segments. Local artists, architects, researchers, and residents—along with the farming and artisan communities—contributed to the project, which includes artistic performances, field discussions, and workshops.
The research explores the deep connections between culture and agriculture, symbolized by the concept of Maghras—a traditional unit of measurement for land surrounded by four palm trees.

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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
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A Rare Peek at the Hidden Waterworks behind Rome’s Trevi Fountain

A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)
A view of Rome's Trevi fountain is seen through a window of its old water flow control room, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP)

The Trevi Fountain, arguably the world’s most famous, has graced screens for decades, from Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” to Netflix’s “Emily in Paris.” Each year, millions of visitors push through Rome's narrow streets to gaze at the towering Titan god flanked by falls cascading into a turquoise pool.

Yet, they never get to venture behind Oceanus’ back to see what produces the sublime play of water in the baroque masterpiece.

Wooden doors on an adjacent street lead to the maneuvering chambers that control the fountain's water supply, coming from the Aqua Virgo — an ancient Roman aqueduct 16 kilometers (10 miles) away. Two electric pumps recycle 126 liters (33 gallons) of water per second while Rome’s water management company, ACEA, carefully monitors the flow around the clock.

This precise amount is crucial for the movement of water through the statues; a little more or less, and it wouldn’t work, said Davide D’Alonzo, ACEA’s manager for the area.

The modern maneuvering chamber features metal tanks and lighted panels. In the original, arched chamber, water audibly rushes through a thick pipe and there is a functional, 18th-century hydrometer to gauge the fountain’s water level.

A large, rudimentary spreadsheet on the wall displays the names of rich Roman families whose homes received water from the chamber long ago; when they fell behind on their payments, their supply was cut off.

The chamber's grated windows grant views out over the fountain and its many visitors — all of whom are oblivious to its hidden waterworks. They toss coins over their shoulders into the water, a hopeful gesture based on a legend that it guarantees their return to the eternal city.