Rome's iconic Trevi Fountain has reopened after three months of renovations, ahead of a massive religious event which is expected to draw millions of visitors.
The city is expecting 33 million people for the opening of the Jubilee Holy Year, which is organised roughly every 25 years by the Catholic Church.
Rome has undergone a face lift in preparation for the Jubilee celebrations, with the renovation work on the 18th-century fountain costing $EU327,000 ($546,001).
The monument, which is one of the Italian capital's main attractions, will be limited to 400 visitors at a time to avoid over crowding.
Rome's cultural heritage superintendent Claudio Parisi Presicce said this will allow visitors to have "ample opportunity to observe it and understand the values it embodies."
Rome City officials have also been devising a plan to block off the area around the fountain to manage the overwhelming number of visitors and the huge crowd expected for the Jubilee.
Visitors will be required to book online and pay $EU2 ($3.34) to enter and view the fountain for 30 minutes.
A makeshift pool in front of the Trevi Fountain gave tourists the chance to throw a coin during construction. (AFP: Andreas Solaro)
During the renovation work, visitors were able to make their traditional coin toss into a makeshift pool.
City lore has it that tossing a coin into the Baroque fountain will ensure a return trip to Rome.
The tradition generates an estimated $EU1.5 million ($2.5 million) annually, which has been donated to the Catholic charity Caritas for the past 15 years.
AP/AFP