Anyone who has visited Rome will have likely posed for a photo by the Trevi Fountain; however, while this used to be free, visitors will now be charged €2 (£1.75) to get close to the fountain. The Italian government hope that this will generate maintenance fees for the fountain, and reduce the “chaos” that can often occur at this popular attraction.

It’s thought that this change, which went into effect earlier this month, was rolled out alongside a new five euro (£4.32) tourist ticket fee for some city museums. It’s estimated that these price increases will raise €6.5million (£5.6million) extra per year, with the money going towards continued maintenance of the city’s numerous historical sites.

The decision to charge visitors to access this historical monument has certainly divided opinion. Alma Peterson, an American who is currently visiting Rome, told The Guardian: “It’s not right to charge people – this is history, it should be free.”

While Ilhan Musbah, a tourist from Morocco, told ITV: “Before, there were problems accessing the fountain. There were a lot of people. Now, it’s very easy. 

“You can take photos, you feel good, you’re comfortable, and on top of that, two euros is not much.”

This change follows on from a year-long experiment that staggered and limited the number of visitors who can reach the front edge of the basin at any one time by imposing lines and pathways for entrance and exit.

Alessandro Onorato, Rome’s tourism chief, has defended the decision to charge visitors to the fountain, saying: “I think tourists were shocked by the fact that the city of Rome is only asking for two euros for a site of this level.

“I believe that if the Trevi Fountain were in New York, they would have charged at least $100 (£73).”