The Origins Of Outdoor Fountains
The Origins Of Outdoor Fountains A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Water fountains were linked to a spring or aqueduct to supply potable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. 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 down or shoot high into the air. Fountains were not only utilized as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the designer who created it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often utilized by Romans to beautify their fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners included fountains to create mini variations of the gardens of paradise. To demonstrate his prominence over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries created baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the spot where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Since indoor plumbing became the standard of the day for clean, 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.
Contemporary fountains are used to embellish community spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.
Water Features Recorded by History
Water Features Recorded by History Water fountains were originally practical in function, used to deliver water from canals or creeks to towns and hamlets, supplying the residents with fresh water to drink, wash, and cook with.
A source of water higher in elevation than the fountain was necessary to pressurize the movement and send water squirting from the fountain's spout, a technology without equal until the late nineteenth century. Striking and spectacular, large water fountains have been designed as monuments in most societies. Simple in design, the very first water fountains didn't appear much like present fountains. The first accepted water fountain was a rock basin created that served as a container for drinking water and ceremonial purposes. 2,000 BC is when the earliest identified stone fountain basins were actually used. The force of gravity was the energy source that operated the oldest water fountains. The location of the fountains was influenced by the water source, which is why you’ll normally find them along aqueducts, canals, or streams. The Romans began constructing decorative fountains in 6 B.C., most of which were metallic or natural stone masks of creatures and mythological representations. The remarkable aqueducts of Rome furnished water to the eye-catching public fountains, many of which you can travel to today.