The Earliest Recorded Outdoor Water Fountains of Human History

The Earliest Recorded Outdoor Water Fountains of Human History As initially developed, water fountains were designed to be practical, guiding water from streams or reservoirs to the inhabitants of towns and villages, where the water could be used for cooking, cleaning, and drinking. The force of gravity was the power source of water fountains up until the close of the nineteenth century, using the forceful power of water traveling down hill from a spring or brook to squeeze the water through spigots or other outlets. Inspiring and impressive, big water fountains have been crafted as memorials in many cultures. Earliest Recorded Outdoor Water Fountains Human History 3487069934.jpg

Earliest Recorded Outdoor Water Fountains Human History 3487069934.jpg

If you saw the very first fountains, you wouldn't recognize them as fountains. A natural stone basin, crafted from rock, was the 1st fountain, utilized for holding water for drinking and ceremonial functions. 2000 B.C. is when the earliest known stone fountain basins were actually used. The spraying of water emerging from small jets was pushed by gravity, the only power source builders had in those days. Drinking water was provided by public fountains, long before fountains became ornate public statues, as attractive as they are functional. The Romans began constructing decorative fountains in 6 BC, most of which were metallic or natural stone masks of creatures and mythological representations. The remarkable aqueducts of Rome delivered water to the incredible public fountains, many of which you can go see today.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Garden Fountains

Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Garden Fountains There are countless celebrated fountains in the city center of Rome. One of the best ever sculptors and artists of the 17th century, Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed, conceptualized and built almost all of them. Also a city architect, he had capabilities as a fountain designer, and traces of his life's work are obvious throughout the roads of Rome. Ultimately moving to Rome to completely express their art, chiefly in the form of public water features, Bernini’s father, a famed Florentine sculptor, guided his young son. The young Bernini earned encouragement from Popes and influential artists alike, and was an exceptional worker. Originally he was well known for his sculpting skills. Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Garden Fountains 904523195.jpg

Working effortlessly with Roman marble, he made use of a base of expertise in the historical Greek architecture, most famously in the Vatican. Though he was influenced by many, Michelangelo had the most serious effect on him, both personally and professionally.

The Minoan Culture: Outdoor Fountains

Minoan Culture: Outdoor Fountains 60091673659786583.jpg

The Minoan Culture: Outdoor Fountains Archaeological digs in Minoan Crete in Greece have revealed several varieties of channels. They not merely aided with the water supplies, they removed rainwater and wastewater as well. They were for the most part created from terracotta or rock. Terracotta was used for channels and water pipes, both rectangular and circular. The cone-like and U-shaped clay piping which were discovered have not been spotted in any other civilization. Knossos Palace had an state-of-the-art plumbing system made of clay piping which ran up to three meters under ground. These Minoan pipes were additionally used for gathering and storing water, not just circulation. In order to make this achievable, the piping had to be tailored to handle: Subterranean Water Transportation: It’s not really understood why the Minoans wanted to transfer water without it being seen. Quality Water Transportation: There’s also information that indicates the pipelines being made use of to feed water features separately from the local process.

When and Where Did Water Fountains Emerge?

When and Where Did Water Fountains Emerge? Hundreds of classic Greek records were translated into Latin under the authority of the scholarly Pope Nicholas V, who ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455. 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. At the behest of the Pope, the Aqua Vergine, a ruined aqueduct which had transported clean drinking water into Rome from eight miles away, was reconditioned starting in 1453. Building a mostra, a grandiose commemorative fountain built by ancient Romans to memorialize the arrival point of an aqueduct, was a custom revived by Nicholas V. At the bidding of the Pope, architect Leon Battista Alberti began the construction of a wall fountain in the place where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The water which eventually provided the Trevi Fountain as well as the famed baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona flowed from the modified aqueduct which he had renovated.