Bernini’s First Italian Water Fountains
Bernini’s First Italian Water Fountains
The Barcaccia, Bernini's very first fountain, is a striking chef d'oeuvre built at the foot of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. This area continues to be filled with Roman locals and visitors who like to exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. The streets neighboring his fountain have come to be one of the city’s most fashionable gathering places, something which would certainly have pleased Bernini himself. The master's first water fountain of his professional life was built at around 1630 at the behest of Pope Urbano VIII. A large boat slowly sinking into the Mediterranean is the fountain's main theme. According to 16th century documents, a great flood of the Tevere covered the entire area in water, an event which was commemorated by the magnificent fountain. In 1665 Bernini traveled to France, in what was to be his sole lengthy absence from Italy.
A Chronicle of Garden Water Fountains
A Chronicle of Garden Water Fountains
Pope Nicholas V, himself a well educated man, ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of old classical Greek documents into Latin. Embellishing Rome and making it the worthy capital of the Christian world was at the center of his ambitions. At the bidding of the Pope, the Aqua Vergine, a ruined aqueduct which had transported clean drinking water into Rome from eight miles away, was restored starting in 1453. The ancient Roman tradition of marking the arrival point of an aqueduct with an magnificent celebratory fountain, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. The architect Leon Battista Alberti was directed by the Pope to construct a wall fountain where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain as well as the well-known baroque fountains located in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona were eventually supplied with water from the altered aqueduct he had rebuilt.
Where did Landscape Fountains Begin?
Where did Landscape Fountains Begin? The amazing 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.
Pure practicality was the original purpose of fountains. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to provide them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Until the late nineteenth, century most water fountains functioned using the force of gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a supply of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Artists thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and honor the artist responsible for building it. Bronze or stone masks of animals and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to re-create the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to extol their positions by adding beautiful 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 decorative. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity helped fountains to deliver recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.
Modern-day fountains serve mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational gatherings.
Pick from all Kinds of Exterior Water Features
Pick from all Kinds of Exterior Water Features Is it possible for you to transform your yard into a paradise of peace? The calming feeling provided by outdoor fountains is just one of the benefits of installing a water feature in your garden.
The beauty of a spouting fountain can be seen when it sends a stream of shooting water into the air. Sizable, preexisting ponds can effortlessly be fitted with one of these. You can find these in community parks or old mansions.
One of the myriad examples of an outdoor water feature is a classy wall fountain. These kinds of fountains make great water features even if you only have a small garden. Whereas spouting fountains produce an impressive effect, wall fountains are more understated water features. In this simple process. the water which is pushed out of a small opening, moves down a beautifully textured wall and is then collected at the bottom before being pumped back to the top.
Your garden’s style determines whether a themed fountain is best for you. In a rustic themed cottage or garden, a traditional styled statue for your fountain could include cherubs holding the spout. Contemporary gardens, on the other hand, benefit from something more audacious. Choosing what to do is totally in your hands.
Tiered fountains are alluring because the water moves down multiple levels. Water flowing down multiple levels of this water feature is the main attribute of a cascading fountain.
Since external fountains require a great deal of space, think about putting in a wall fountain or a pondless fountain. Due to the fact that the reservoirs required for these kinds of fountains are hidden below the ground, you can make the most of the space at your disposal.
If you seek a feeling of serenity and calmness, install a Japanese fountain as these are thought to bring about such sensations. The water flows through bamboo sticks in this kind of water feature. Water then streams into a bucket or a shaped stone, only to repeat the cycle over and over again.
Another style of fountain is made of glass. Creating a more classical appearance are trellis-style fountains which feature shaped metalwork. Water features of this kind are an excellent alternative for gardens with many sharp edges along with contemporary shapes and design. The flowing water produces a beautiful effect as it moves down the glass panels. Colored LED lights are also included in some fountains to illuminate the water as it down down the sheet of glass. The jagged surface of rock waterfall fountain creates an interesting façade as the water softly trickles downwards.
Bubbling rock fountains are big stones drilled with holes which are then filled with pipes in the middle. The gurgles and bubbles at the top are the product of the low pressure used to propel the water upwards. Water then streams as a delicate trickle down the sides of the rock to its base. Gardens with limited space are good spots to include this style of fountain. This sort of fountain, which uses low pressure to move water, is ideal because it stops water from being sprayed around in breezy weather.
Solar driven fountains have become more popular recently because they run on sunlight. The advantages of using this type of solar powered fountain is the lack of cables, lowered difficulty in installing them, the decrease in electric bills, and the favorable effects they have on our environment. You will not have to concede on style since there is a wide array of designs to choose from in outdoor solar-powered fountains.