Public Water Features Found in Historical Documents
Public Water Features Found in Historical Documents
As initially conceived, water fountains were crafted to be practical, guiding water from creeks or reservoirs to the citizens of cities and settlements, where the water could be used for cooking, washing, and drinking. In the years before electricity, the spray of fountains was driven by gravity alone, often using an aqueduct or water source located far away in the nearby hills. Fountains spanning history have been designed as monuments, impressing local citizens and visitors alike. When you encounter a fountain today, that is not what the 1st water fountains looked like. A stone basin, carved from rock, was the 1st fountain, utilized for containing water for drinking and spiritual purposes. The initial stone basins are presumed to be from about 2000 BC. The spray of water appearing from small spouts was pressured by gravity, the sole power source designers had in those days. Situated near aqueducts or creeks, the practical public water fountains provided the local populace with fresh drinking water. Animals, Gods, and spectral figures dominated the very early decorative Roman fountains, starting to appear in about 6 BC. A well-designed collection of reservoirs and aqueducts kept Rome's public water fountains supplied with fresh water.
From Where Did Water Fountains Originate?
From Where Did Water Fountains Originate?
Hundreds of ancient Greek records were translated into Latin under the auspices of the scholarly Pope Nicholas V, who led the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455. In order to make Rome deserving of being the capital of the Christian world, the Pope decided to embellish the beauty of the city. Reconstruction of the Acqua Vergine, a ruined Roman aqueduct which had carried fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away, began in 1453 at the bidding of the Pope. A mostra, a monumental dedicatory fountain built by ancient Romans to mark the point of entry of an aqueduct, was a practice which was revived by Nicholas V. At the bidding of the Pope, architect Leon Battista Alberti undertook the construction of a wall fountain in the place where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The aqueduct he had reconditioned included modifications and extensions which eventually allowed it to supply water to the Trevi Fountain as well as the renowned baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona.
Anglo-Saxon Landscapes at the Time of the Norman Conquest
Anglo-Saxon Landscapes at the Time of the Norman Conquest
The introduction of the Normans in the second half of the 11th century irreparably transformed The Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. Architecture and horticulture were skills that the Normans excelled in, trumping that of the Anglo-Saxons at the time of the occupation. However the Normans had to pacify the entire territory before they could concentrate on home life, domestic architecture, and decoration. Because of this, castles were cruder structures than monasteries: Monasteries were usually significant stone buildings set in the biggest and most fertile valleys, while castles were built on windy crests where their citizens dedicated time and space to projects for offense and defense. The serene method of gardening was impractical in these bleak bastions. Berkeley Castle is most likely the most complete model in existence today of the early Anglo-Norman form of architecture. The keep is rumored to have been created during the time of William the Conqueror. As a strategy of deterring assailants from tunneling beneath the walls, an immense terrace encompasses the building. One of these terraces, a charming bowling green, is covered grass and flanked by an ancient yew hedge cut into the form of crude battlements.
Your Outdoor Living Area: An Ideal Spot for a Fountain
Your Outdoor Living Area: An Ideal Spot for a Fountain
A great way to enhance the appeal of your outdoor living area is to add a wall water feature or an exterior garden fountain to your landscaping or garden design. Any number of current designers and fountain craftsmen have found ideas in the fountains and water features of the past. You can also strengthen the link to the past by incorporating one of these to your home's interior design. In addition to the wonderful attributes of garden fountains, they also generate water and moisture which goes into the air, thereby, drawing in birds as well as other creatures and harmonizing the environment. Birds enticed by a fountain or bird bath often frighten off irksome flying invaders, for instance. The area required for a cascading or spouting fountain is considerable, so a wall fountain is the perfect size for a small yard. There are two types of fountains to pick from including the freestanding version with a flat back and an attached basin set up against a fence or a wall in your yard, or the wall-mounted, self-contained variety which is hung directly on a wall. Be sure to include a fountain mask to an existing wall and a basin to collect the water at the bottom if you wish to add a fountain to your living area. The plumbing and masonry work necessary for this kind of work requires training, so it is best to employ a skilled person rather than do it yourself.