Trevi Fountain hosted La Parola che illumina on 6 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 05:19 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- Trevi Fountain hosted La Parola che illumina in Rome on 6 October 2026.
- The programme combined a discussion at 6.30pm with a light performance at 9pm on 6 October 2026.
- Luca Ward read a text by Erri De Luca while Marco Nereo Rotelli projected words onto the water and monument on 6 October 2026.
- The fountain was designed by Nicola Salvi from 1732 and completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762.
Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) hosted La Parola che illumina in Rome on 6 October 2026, combining a discussion on reading and handwriting with a light performance in front of the monument. The programme was organised by the Luigi Einaudi Foundation's Osservatorio Carta, Penna & Digitale.
La Parola che illumina reached Trevi Fountain on 6 October
The evening began at 6.30pm at Sala Vicus Caprarius in Harry's Bar Trevi. Andrea Cangini, Erri De Luca, Luca Ward and Marco Nereo Rotelli discussed handwriting, printed books and reading in the digital age. The Rome tourist authority recorded the event's date and venue in its event programme.
At 9pm, the performance moved to Piazza di Trevi. Ward read Appunti di un amanuense, a text written for the occasion by De Luca, while Rotelli projected selected phrases onto the water and the surface of the monument. The event was open to the public, linking a contemporary discussion about writing with the fountain's long role as a public Roman setting.
Trevi Fountain provided a Baroque stage for the light show
The present fountain stands against Palazzo Poli at the terminal point of the Virgo aqueduct, an ancient water route that remains in use. Pope Clement XII launched the design competition in 1732, and architect Nicola Salvi's proposal was selected.
Giuseppe Pannini completed the construction after Salvi's death, and the work was finished in 1762. The broad basin, rocky setting and central Ocean figure give the monument a built-in theatrical backdrop, which made the projections on water and stone on 6 October a direct use of its architecture. Rome's official tourism service records these historical details in its history of the fountain.
Current access separates the piazza from the inner perimeter
The October performance has ended, but the monument remains visible from Piazza di Trevi. Visitors who want to enter the inner perimeter use the access system introduced in 2026, while the surrounding square remains the public viewpoint.
Visiting Trevi Fountain: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- La Parola che illumina took place at Trevi Fountain on 6 October 2026, with the public programme starting at 6.30pm and the light performance at 9pm.
- The event has ended. The fountain remains viewable from Piazza di Trevi, while entry to the inner perimeter is controlled separately.
- The monument is in central Rome. The official access information lists Barberini on Metro Line A as the nearest metro stop and also identifies bus lines 118, 190F, 30, 46 and 60.
- The inner perimeter includes steps, and the fountain stands within Rome's limited traffic zone. Visitors arriving by car need to continue from outside the zone on foot or by public transport.
- Italian is the official language, and Italy uses the euro.
Searching for Trevi Fountain on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Trevi Fountain
When did La Parola che illumina take place at Trevi Fountain?
The programme took place on 6 October 2026. Its discussion began at 6.30pm and the light performance followed at 9pm.
What happened at Trevi Fountain on 6 October 2026?
Luca Ward read Appunti di un amanuense by Erri De Luca, while Marco Nereo Rotelli projected words onto the water and monument.
Where is Trevi Fountain and how do you get there?
The fountain is in Piazza di Trevi in Rome. Barberini on Metro Line A is the nearest listed metro stop, with several bus routes also serving the area.

