Where did Landscape Fountains Come From?
Where did Landscape Fountains Come From? The dramatic or ornamental effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, as well as delivering drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property.The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to supply them with potable water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains operated using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a source of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Fountains were an excellent source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and celebrate the designer. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to beautify their fountains. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller versions of the gardens of paradise. The fountains found in the Gardens of Versailles were meant to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. 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 rise in usage of indoor plumbing to supply drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. The creation of unique water effects and the recycling of water were two things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
These days, fountains adorn public spaces and are used to pay tribute to individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.