The Source of Modern Day Garden Water Fountains
The Source of Modern Day Garden Water Fountains Pope Nicholas V, himself a learned man, ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of old classical Greek texts into Latin. It was important for him to beautify the city of Rome to make it worthy of being known as the capital of the Christian world. At the bidding of the Pope, the Aqua Vergine, a damaged aqueduct which had transported clean drinking water into Rome from eight miles away, was reconditioned starting in 1453. The historical Roman tradition of marking the arrival point of an aqueduct with an magnificent celebratory fountain, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. The present-day site of the Trevi Fountain was once occupied by a wall fountain commissioned by the Pope and built by the architect Leon Battista Alberti. The Trevi Fountain as well as the well-known baroque fountains found in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona were eventually supplied with water from the modified aqueduct he had reconstructed.Water Fountains: The Minoan Society
Water Fountains: The Minoan Society On the Greek island of Crete, excavations have discovered conduits of numerous varieties. In combination with offering water, they spread out water which amassed from storms or waste material. Rock and terracotta were the substances of choice for these channels.
Creators of the First Water Fountains
Creators of the First Water Fountains Often working as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and highly educated scholars all in one, from the 16th to the late 18th century, fountain designers were multi-faceted individuals, Exemplifying the Renaissance skilled artist as a creative master, Leonardo da Vinci toiled as an innovator and scientific guru. He systematically documented his observations in his now much celebrated notebooks about his research into the forces of nature and the properties and mobility of water. Modifying private villa configurations into innovative water showcases full of symbolic interpretation and natural wonder, early Italian fountain creators paired resourcefulness with hydraulic and gardening ability. The humanist Pirro Ligorio, distinguished for his virtuosity in archeology, architecture and garden design, delivered the vision behind the wonders in Tivoli. For the many estates in the vicinity of Florence, other water feature engineers were well versed in humanistic subject areas as well as ancient scientific texts, masterminding the extraordinary water marbles, water features and water humor.The Genesis Of Wall Fountains
The Genesis Of Wall Fountains 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 enhance your home.The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to supply them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Up to the late nineteenth 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 downwards or jet high into the air. Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and celebrate the designer responsible for building it. Roman fountains often depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of metal or stone masks. Throughout the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners incorporated fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. Fountains enjoyed a significant role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exercise his power over nature. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries created baroque decorative fountains to exalt the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the location where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby restricting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. The creation of unique water effects and the recycling of water were two things made possible by replacing gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern fountains are used to adorn public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.