A temporary suspended walkway at Rome's Trevi Fountain, inaugurated on Saturday, allows visitors to get a closer look at the iconic site during renovation work. The walkway, which can accommodate up to 130 people at a time, offers a unique perspective of the Baroque masterpiece, constructed on the facade of a palace, which is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions.

While the fountain undergoes cleaning to remove limestone deposits and grime, the walkway provides tourists with an experience that is less crowded, according to Rome's mayor, Roberto Gualtieri. 'We wanted to give everybody the opportunity to admire the fountain and to do this from a unique perspective,' he said. 'What you can see from the walkway, you will never be able to see normally.'

French tourist Franck Petretto, 50, was among the first to walk across the passageway, describing the view as 'wonderful and very, very beautiful.' Micaela di Caterina, a 32-year-old visitor from Argentina, also appreciated the close-up view of the intricate sculptures of Oceanus and his sea-horses, calling it 'incredible.' However, she admitted it felt 'kind of weird' to be walking over the fountain.

The fountain, famous for its appearance in Federico Fellini's 1960 film 'La Dolce Vita,' last underwent a thorough cleaning a decade ago, during an 18-month renovation sponsored by Fendi. The current work involves removing limestone deposits and loose material between stones, which can turn black over time and encourage vegetation growth. Tourists are not allowed to toss coins into the fountain's basin, where tradition holds that doing so ensures a return to Rome. Instead, a small pool next to the walkway has been installed to collect spare change, preventing damage to the fountain and continuing the flow of donations to Rome's needy.

Every week, authorities recover around 10,000 euros in coins from Trevi Fountain, which are donated to the Caritas charity to fund meals. 'We are proud not to have interrupted such an important work for those in difficulty,' Gualtieri said. The walkway will remain in place until the cleaning is complete, expected sometime in December. City officials are considering a ticketing system to manage crowds once the cleaning is over, especially with the Jubilee expected to bring millions of visitors to Rome next year.

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