The Genesis Of Outdoor Fountains
The Genesis Of Outdoor Fountains
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 an extraordinary effect. From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to provide drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Fountains were an excellent source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and memorialize the designer. Bronze or stone masks of animals and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller versions of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains made to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
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 introduction of special water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
Contemporary fountains are used to adorn public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.
Anglo-Saxon Landscapes at the Time of the Norman Conquest
Anglo-Saxon Landscapes at the Time of the Norman Conquest The arrival of the Normans in the second half of the 11th century irreparably altered The Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. Engineering and gardening were skills that the Normans excelled in, trumping that of the Anglo-Saxons at the time of the occupation. But before concentrating on home-life or having the occasion to contemplate domestic architecture or decoration, the Normans had to subjugate an entire society. Castles were more fundamental constructions and often erected on blustery hills, where their people devoted both time and space to practicing offense and defense, while monasteries were major stone buildings, mostly positioned in the widest, most fertile hollows. The serene method of gardening was unlikely in these dreary bastions. The best example of the early Anglo-Norman style of architecture existent presently is Berkeley Castle. It is said that the keep was introduced during William the Conqueror's time. An enormous terrace encompasses the building, serving as an obstacle to attackers wanting to dig under the castle walls. On one of these parapets is a picturesque bowling green covered in grass and enclosed by an aged hedge of yew that has been shaped into coarse battlements.