Who was Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (63–12 BC) was general, admiral, architect and right-hand man of Augustus. He won the Battle of Actium (31 BC) that cemented Octavian's dominance. As aedile of Rome in 33 BC he launched a sweeping programme of urban renewal: he built aqueducts, baths, bridges and the first Pantheon (dedicated in 27 BC, later rebuilt by Hadrian).
The Aqua Virgo was built in 19 BC primarily to supply the Baths of Agrippa, the first great public bathing complex in Rome, located on the Campus Martius.
The legend of the virgin
The name Virgo derives from a legend recorded by ancient authors. According to this tradition, when Agrippa's troops were thirsty during the aqueduct's construction, a young girl — a virgin — showed the soldiers a spring near the eighth milestone of the Via Collatina (roughly 14 km east of Rome, in the Alban Hills area).
The spring was located, analysed and judged suitable for the aqueduct's construction. The young woman who had indicated it gave the aqueduct its name: Aqua Virgo.
Technical characteristics
The Aqua Virgo was distinguished from all other Roman aqueducts by one fundamental feature: it ran entirely underground.
All the other great Roman aqueducts — the Claudia, the Anio Novus, the Anio Vetus, the Marcia — were famous for their soaring arches crossing the countryside and the periphery of Rome. The Aqua Virgo had no exposed arches: it ran through the subsoil from the spring to its arrival in the city.
Consequences of this design:
- Water quality: the underground course protected the water from atmospheric contaminants and solar heat, keeping it cool and clear
- Vulnerability: underground tunnels were more susceptible to seismic damage and sabotage
- Maintenance: the conduits required periodic internal inspections
- Hydraulic pressure: the nearly flat course limited the pressure available on arrival
Capacity: approximately 80,000–100,000 m³ per day, according to ancient data and modern estimates. The water arrives in Rome at moderate pressure, sufficient for fountains but not for the upper floors of modern buildings.
The route
The spring was located roughly 14 km east of Rome in the area of present-day Salone (an eastern suburban neighbourhood). From there the aqueduct ran almost parallel to the Via Collatina until it reached the Campus Martius area, originally emerging near the Baths of Agrippa.
The total route was approximately 21 kilometres — relatively short compared to other Roman aqueducts (the Claudia measured 68 km). This brevity was possible because the spring was relatively close to Rome and the aqueduct did not need to surmount major changes in elevation.
From the fall of the Empire to the Middle Ages
Like all Roman aqueducts, the Aqua Virgo suffered gravely after the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 AD). In 537 AD, during the Gothic siege by Witigis, the Goths cut Rome's aqueducts to deprive the city of water. The Aqua Virgo was among those sabotaged.
In subsequent centuries its course was partly forgotten. Some tunnels collapsed, others were blocked by debris. However the spring continued to flow and partially to follow its original course.
Medieval and Renaissance restoration
The first major documented restoration occurred under Pope Nicholas V (1447–1455), as part of a broader programme of urban renewal in Rome. The aqueduct was partially cleared and restored, and in 1453 the first small terminal fountain was completed to the design of Leon Battista Alberti — the direct predecessor of the current Trevi Fountain.
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the aqueduct was further enhanced to supply the monumental fountains of the historic centre: in addition to the Trevi Fountain, also the Fontana della Barcaccia in Piazza di Spagna (Pietro Bernini, 1627–1629), the fountains of Piazza Navona and other public fountains in the neighbourhood.
The Aqua Virgo today
The Aqua Virgo is still in operation and is the only original Roman aqueduct still functioning. This is exceptional: no other aqueduct from antiquity has survived in continuous use to the present day.
What it supplies today:
- The Trevi Fountain (principal user)
- The Fontana della Barcaccia in Piazza di Spagna (Pietro Bernini, 1627–1629)
- Numerous public drinking fountains (the famous Roman nasoni) in the historic centre
- Various smaller decorative fountains
Is the water drinkable? Yes. The Aqua Virgo — today also called "Acqua Vergine Antica" to distinguish it from other supplies — is drinking water of excellent quality, known for its freshness and lightness. The public fountains fed by this network are places where Romans still stop to drink today.
The symbol of water that never stops
The Aqua Virgo has crossed two thousand years of history without almost ever stopping. It has survived invasions, epidemics, wars, revolutions, political collapses. It still flows today beneath the cobblestones of the Rione Trevi, still feeding the basin that Nicola Salvi designed in 1732.
When you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, it falls into the water of the Aqua Virgo — the same water that Agrippa first set flowing two thousand years ago.
Visit the Trevi Fountain with a private driver
The fountain is in a ZTL zone.
Visit the Trevi Fountain with a private driver: discover in person the fountain that the Aqua Virgo has fed for 2,000 years. Service from €49. → Book your driver at myromedriver.com
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Trevi Fountain's water come from? From the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct built by Marcus Agrippa in 19 BC and still in operation.
Is the Aqua Virgo the oldest Roman aqueduct still functioning? Yes. It is the only original Roman aqueduct still operating in the world.
Is the Trevi Fountain's water drinkable? The Aqua Virgo is high-quality drinking water. The public drinking fountains (nasoni) fed by the same network are safe for human consumption.
Article no. 92 — TIER S — MON-05 Trevi Fountain Type: HISTORICAL Words: ~1,200