Where did Fountains Originate from?
Where did Fountains Originate from?
The dramatic or decorative effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to supplying drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property. The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to provide potable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Up to the late 19th century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and more elevated than the fountain so that gravity could make the water move downwards or jet high into the air. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and memorialize the artist. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often used by Romans to beautify their fountains. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. The fountains seen in the Gardens of Versailles were supposed to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. To mark the entrance of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the construction of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts entered the city of Rome
The end of the nineteenth century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to supply drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. The creation of special water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains serve mostly as decoration for community spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational gatherings.
The First Outdoor Public Fountains
The First Outdoor Public Fountains As originally conceived, fountains were designed to be practical, directing water from creeks or aqueducts to the citizens of cities and settlements, where the water could be used for cooking food, washing, and drinking. A supply of water higher in elevation than the fountain was necessary to pressurize the flow and send water squirting from the fountain's nozzle, a system without equal until the late 19th century. Striking and spectacular, large water fountains have been designed as monuments in nearly all cultures.
When you enjoy a fountain nowadays, that is not what the 1st water fountains looked like. Crafted for drinking water and ceremonial purposes, the initial fountains were simple carved stone basins. The first stone basins are presumed to be from around 2000 B.C.. The very first civilizations that made use of fountains depended on gravity to drive water through spigots. Drinking water was delivered by public fountains, long before fountains became ornate public monuments, as pretty as they are practical. Fountains with ornate decoration started to show up in Rome in approx. 6 BC, usually gods and animals, made with stone or copper-base alloy. A well-designed system of reservoirs and aqueducts kept Rome's public water fountains supplied with fresh water.