Modern Garden Decor: Fountains and their Roots
Modern Garden Decor: Fountains and their Roots A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for an extraordinary effect. From the onset, outdoor fountains were soley there to serve as functional elements. Residents of urban areas, townships and small towns used them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash up, which meant that fountains had to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. 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 shoot high into the air. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and celebrate the artist. Bronze or stone masks of wildlife and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. To depict the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. The fountains found in the Gardens of Versailles were supposed 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 built to mark the place of entry of Roman aqueducts.
Urban fountains built at the end of the 19th century served only as decorative and celebratory adornments since indoor plumbing provided the necessary drinking water. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the purposes of modern-day fountains.
Public Water Features Lost to History
Public Water Features Lost to History The water from springs and other sources was initially supplied to the citizens of nearby communities and cities through water fountains, whose design was mainly practical, not artistic. In the years before electrical power, the spray of fountains was driven by gravity only, commonly using an aqueduct or water source located far away in the nearby hills. The appeal and spectacle of fountains make them perfect for traditional monuments. If you saw the first fountains, you probably would not recognize them as fountains. A stone basin, crafted from rock, was the very first fountain, used for holding water for drinking and ceremonial purposes. Rock basins as fountains have been uncovered from 2,000 BC. The force of gravity was the energy source that controlled the oldest water fountains. Drinking water was supplied by public fountains, long before fountains became decorative public statues, as attractive as they are functional. The people of Rome began constructing elaborate fountains in 6 BC, most of which were bronze or natural stone masks of animals and mythological representations. Water for the open fountains of Rome arrived to the city via a intricate system of water aqueducts.