Where did Large Garden Fountains Come From?
Where did Large Garden Fountains Come From? A fountain, an incredible piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also launch water high into the air for a noteworthy effect. Pure functionality was the original purpose of fountains. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, via aqueducts or springs in the vicinity. 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 flow down or jet high into the air. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Roman fountains often depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of metal or stone masks. To illustrate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. Fountains played a considerable role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exercise his power over nature. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains constructed to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
Since indoor plumbing became the standard 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. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity enabled 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 purposes of modern-day fountains.
Early Water Delivery Techniques in Rome
Early Water Delivery Techniques in Rome Prior to 273, when the 1st elevated aqueduct, Aqua Anio Vetus, was constructed in Roma, citizens who resided on hillsides had to travel even further down to gather their water from natural sources. During this period, there were only 2 other innovations capable of supplying water to higher areas, subterranean wells and cisterns, which amassed rainwater. To offer water to Pincian Hill in the early 16th century, they implemented the brand-new technique of redirecting the motion from the Acqua Vergine aqueduct’s underground network. Throughout the time of its initial building and construction, pozzi (or manholes) were positioned at set intervals alongside the aqueduct’s channel. During the roughly 9 years he possessed the residential property, from 1543 to 1552, Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi employed these manholes to take water from the network in buckets, though they were actually established for the goal of cleaning and maintaining the aqueduct.
It seems that, the rainwater cistern on his property wasn’t good enough to satisfy his needs. To give himself with a much more useful system to obtain water, he had one of the manholes opened up, giving him access to the aqueduct below his property.