When and Where Did Water Features Emerge?
When and Where Did Water Features Emerge?
Himself a highly educated man, Pope Nicholas V headed the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 till 1455 and was responsible for the translation of scores of ancient texts from their original Greek into Latin. In order to make Rome deserving of being the capital of the Christian world, the Pope decided to embellish the beauty of the city. 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 custom of building an imposing commemorative fountain at the point where an aqueduct arrived, also known as a mostra, was revived by Nicholas V. The Trevi Fountain now occupies the space previously filled with a wall fountain built by Leon Battista Albert, an architect employed by the Pope. Modifications and extensions, included in the restored aqueduct, eventually provided the Trevi Fountain and the well-known baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona with the necessary water supply.
The Genesis Of Fountains
The Genesis Of Fountains A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.Pure functionality was the original role of fountains.
Water fountains were linked to a spring or aqueduct to provide drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Up until the 19th century, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water source, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Artists thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to supply clean water and celebrate the designer responsible for building it. The main components used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly illustrating animals or heroes. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller versions of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries created baroque decorative fountains to exalt the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the location where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Indoor plumbing became the main source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity helped fountains to provide recycled water into living spaces as well as create unique water effects.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the uses of modern-day fountains.
The Many Good Reasons to Add a Fountain
The Many Good Reasons to Add a Fountain A great way to enhance the appeal of your outdoor living area is to add a wall fountain or an exterior garden fountain to your landscaping or garden design. Contemporary designers and fountain builders alike use historic fountains and water features to shape their creations.
As such, integrating one of these to your home design is a great way to connect it to the past. The benefit of having a garden fountain extends beyond its beauty as it also appeals to birds and other wildlife, in addition to harmonizing the ecosystem with the water and moisture it emits into the atmosphere. For instance, irksome flying insects are usually deterred by the birds attracted to the fountain or birdbath. Putting in a wall fountain is your best solution for a little patio area because a spouting or cascading fountain occupies too much space. Two options to choose from include either a freestanding type with an even back set against a fence or wall in your backyard, or a wall-mounted, self-contained type which hangs on a wall. Make certain to include a fountain mask to an existing wall and a basin to collect the water at the base if you wish to put in a fountain to your living area. It is best not to attempt this job on your own as professional plumbers and masons are more suitable to do this type of work.