Tourists threw $2.06 million of coins into the Trevi Fountain in 2016.

It's no novel idea to toss a coin into a fountain and make a wish, but there's something particularly romantic about doing so at the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

The legend comes from the 1950s Academy Award-winning film "Three Coins in the Fountain": Throw a coin into the famed Fontana di Trevi, regarded as the most beautiful Baroque fountain in all of Italy, and you'll one day return to visit Rome.

Toss in two more coins and you'll be met with new romance and, eventually, a beautiful Roman wedding.

MAX ROSSI/REUTERS Sweepers now work daily to clear the fountain.

It may seem a silly tourist attraction, but millions of visitors flock to the 18th century landmark each year to partake in the tradition.

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In fact, the fountain now fills up so quickly, Roman city workers sweep its floor every night to collect the day's loot.

123RF It might seem silly, but the attraction of the Trevi Fountain is only getting stronger.

The money is cleaned, weighed, counted and sent to Caritas, a Catholic nonprofit that supports causes around the world related to health, disaster relief, ending poverty, and migration.

Back in 2005, Getty Images reported that around NZD$823,000 a year was collected from the fountain, but in 2016 they collected $2.06 million, according to NBC News.

For years, thieves would steal coins from the fountain daily until Rome's city council passed a law deeming it illegal to do so.

GETTY Models walk the runway at a fashion show at the newly-renovated Trevi Fountain in 2016.

As a result, a Caritas spokesperson said the charity saw a 20 per cent to 30 per cent increase in the money it received between 2010 and 2012.

But money isn't the only thing gleaned from the fountain.

"Among the coins often we find other objects, including glasses, religious medals, and even a couple of dentures," the Caritas spokesperson told NBC News.

The fountain was recently given a $3 million makeover, funded by Italian fashion brand Fendi, that took 18 months to complete.

LED lighting was added, and the marble facade, which depicts mythological figures Ocean, Health, and Abundance, was restored.

- Business Insider