The Source of Today's Fountains

The Source of Today's Fountains Hundreds of ancient Greek texts were translated into Latin under the auspices of the scholarly Pope Nicholas V, who ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455. Beautifying Rome and making it the worthy capital of the Christian world was at the center of his ambitions. At the bidding of the Pope, the Aqua Vergine, a damaged aqueduct which had carried clean drinking water into Rome from eight miles away, was reconditioned starting in 1453. The ancient Roman custom of marking the arrival point of an aqueduct with an magnificent celebratory fountain, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. The present-day location of the Trevi Fountain was formerly occupied by a wall fountain commissioned by the Pope and built by the architect Leon Battista Alberti. The Trevi Fountain as well as the well-known baroque fountains located in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona were eventually supplied with water from the modified aqueduct he had reconstructed.

The First Water Garden Fountains of History

The First Water Garden Fountains of History As originally conceived, fountains were crafted to be functional, guiding water from creeks or aqueducts to the inhabitants of towns and villages, where the water could be utilized for cooking food, washing, and drinking. A source of water higher in elevation than the fountain was necessary to pressurize the flow and send water spraying from the fountain's spout, a system without equal until the late nineteenth century. Fountains spanning history have been designed as memorials, impressing local citizens and tourists alike. The contemporary fountains of modern times bear little resemblance to the very first water fountains. The very first recognized water fountain was a rock basin created that served as a receptacle for drinking water and ceremonial functions. Rock basins are believed to have been first used around the year 2000 BC. The force of gravity was the energy source that controlled the oldest water fountains. These original water fountains were built to be functional, usually situated along aqueducts, creeks and waterways to provide drinking water. Fountains with ornate decoration started to show up in Rome in approximately 6 BC, usually gods and animals, made with natural stone or copper-base alloy. The impressive aqueducts of Rome delivered water to the incredible public fountains, many of which you can go see today.