Anglo-Saxon Grounds During the Norman Conquest
Anglo-Saxon Grounds During the Norman Conquest The arrival of the Normans in the 2nd half of the eleventh century irreparably improved The Anglo-Saxon lifestyle.
Bernini's First Masterpieces
Bernini's First Masterpieces The Barcaccia, a stunning fountain constructed at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna, was Bernini's earliest water fountain. To this day, you will find Roman residents and vacation goers occupying this space to revel in chit chatter and being among other people. One of the city’s most stylish meeting places are the streets surrounding Bernini's fountain, which would undoubtedly have brought a smile to the great Bernini. In about 1630, the great master built the first fountain of his career at the behest of Pope Ubano VIII. People can now see the fountain as an illustration of a commanding ship gradually sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. Period reports dating back to the 16th century show that the fountain was constructed as a monument to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere.
Contemporary Garden Decor: Fountains and their Roots
Contemporary Garden Decor: Fountains and their Roots The incredible architecture of a fountain allows it to provide clean water or shoot water high into air for dramatic effect and it can also serve as an excellent design feature to complete your home.The primary purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. Water fountains were linked to a spring or aqueduct to provide drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and memorialize the designer. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often utilized by Romans to decorate their fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners included fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. The fountains seen in the Gardens of Versailles were intended to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries created baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the spot where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Since indoor plumbing became the norm of the day for fresh, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely ornamental. The introduction of special water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by replacing gravity with mechanical pumps.
Nowadays, fountains adorn public areas and are used to pay tribute to individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.