Contemporary Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Beginnings
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Beginnings The dramatic or ornamental effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to supplying drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property.From the beginning, outdoor fountains were soley meant to serve as functional elements. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to provide 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 move down or shoot high into the air. Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and celebrate the artist responsible for creating it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often used by Romans to beautify their fountains. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured 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.
The end of the 19th century saw the rise in usage of indoor plumbing to supply drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. The introduction of unique water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational gatherings.
Water Fountains: The Minoan Society
Water Fountains: The Minoan Society Fountains and Water and the Minoan Civilization These supplied water and removed it, including water from waste and deluges. The chief materials employed were rock or clay.