Rome, Nov 5 (IANS/AKI): The famous Trevi fountain in Rome restarted follwing a 2 million euro ($2.1 million) restoration project funded by Italian luxury fashion house, Fendi.

Hundreds of tourists looked on as the scaffolding-free, baroque fountain's waters began to play again, enhanced by new illuminations.

During its 17-month-long makeover, a special platform was set up to allow tourists to view fountain made famous by actress Anita Ekberg's nocturnal dip during a scene from Federico Fellini's iconic movie "La Dolce Vita".

Pope Clement XII commissioned Rome-born architect Nicola Salvi in 1730 to design the fountain, although Italian sculptor Pietro Bracci completed the work in 1763, 12 years after Salvi's death.

The Trevi fountain, one of Rome's biggest tourist attractions, was last restored 23 years ago.

It is the end point of one of the aqueducts that supplied ancient Rome with water and tourists can drink from it at a special tap on one side of the fountain.