Modern Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Beginnings
Modern Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Beginnings The incredible construction 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 complete your home.
Originally, fountains only served a functional purpose. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to provide drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Up until the 19th century, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water source, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and celebrate the artist. The main materials used by the Romans to build their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. To illustrate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. To demonstrate his prominence over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to exalt their positions by adding decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
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 allowed fountains to provide recycled water into living spaces as well as create unique water effects.
Nowadays, fountains decorate public areas and are used to recognize individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.
Water Delivery Strategies in Early Rome
Water Delivery Strategies in Early Rome Aqua Anio Vetus, the first raised aqueduct assembled in Rome, started off providing the many people living in the hills with water in 273 BC, although they had relied on natural springs up until then. Over this time period, there were only 2 other innovations capable of providing water to higher areas, subterranean wells and cisterns, which amassed rainwater. Starting in the sixteenth century, a brand new system was introduced, using Acqua Vergine’s subterranean portions to generate water to Pincian Hill. As originally constructed, the aqueduct was provided along the length of its channel with pozzi (manholes) constructed at regular intervals. While these manholes were manufactured to make it less difficult to preserve the aqueduct, it was also feasible to use buckets to remove water from the channel, which was employed by Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi from the time he acquired the property in 1543 to his passing in 1552. Though the cardinal also had a cistern to amass rainwater, it couldn't produce enough water. To give himself with a much more useful way to obtain water, he had one of the manholes exposed, offering him access to the aqueduct below his residence.