The Origins of Modern Wall Fountains
The Origins of Modern Wall Fountains Pope Nicholas V, himself a learned man, reigned the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of ancient classic Greek documents into Latin. It was important for him to embellish the city of Rome to make it worthy of being known as the capital of the Christian world. Starting in 1453, the ruined ancient Roman aqueduct known as the Aqua Vergine which had brought fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away, underwent reconstruction at the bidding of the Pope.
The ancient Roman tradition of marking the entry point of an aqueduct with an magnificent celebratory fountain, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. The architect Leon Battista Alberti was commissioned by the Pope to put up a wall fountain where we now see the Trevi Fountain. The aqueduct he had refurbished included modifications and extensions which eventually allowed it to supply water to the Trevi Fountain as well as the famed baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona.
Bernini: The Master of Italy's Greatest Fountains
Bernini: The Master of Italy's Greatest Fountains The Barcaccia, Bernini's first fountain, is a magnificent chef d'oeuvre built at the foot of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. To this day, you will find Roman locals and vacation goers filling this spot to revel in chit chatter and being among other people. Today, the city streets around Bernini's water fountain are a trendy area where people go to meet, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. The master's first fountain of his career was built at around 1630 at the behest of Pope Urbano VIII. Depicted in the fountain's design is a great ship gradually sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. The great 16th century flood of the Tevere, which left the entire region inundated with water, was memorialized by the water fountain according to documents from the period. In 1665, France was graced by Bernini's only lengthy trip outside of Italy.
Rome’s 1st elevated aqueduct, Aqua Anio Vetus, was built in 273 BC; prior to that, inhabitants residing at higher elevations had to depend on natural streams for their water....
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Hundreds of classic Greek documents were translated into Latin under the authority of the scholarly Pope Nicholas V, who ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455....
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As initially developed, water fountains were crafted to be functional, guiding water from streams or aqueducts to the residents of towns and settlements, where the water could be utilized for cooking, washing, and drinking....
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Have you ever thought about turning your garden into an oasis of serenity?The calming feeling provided by outdoor fountains is just one of the benefits of installing a water feature in your garden....
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