Bernini's First Masterpieces
Bernini's First Masterpieces Bernini's earliest fountain, named Barcaccia, is a breath taking work of art seen at the bottom of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. Roman residents and site seers who appreciate verbal exchanges as well as being the company of others still go to this spot. The streets surrounding his fountain have come to be one of the city’s most stylish meeting places, something which would certainly have pleased Bernini himself. In about 1630, the great artist built the first fountain of his career at the behest of Pope Ubano VIII. A massive ship slowly sinking into the Mediterranean is the fountain's main theme. Period writings dating back to the 16th century show that the fountain was constructed as a monument to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. In what turned out to be his sole extended absence from Italy, Bernini {journeyed | traveled] to France in 1665.The Origins of Modern Outdoor Wall Fountains
The Origins of Modern Outdoor Wall Fountains Himself a highly educated man, Pope Nicholas V led the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 till 1455 and was responsible for the translation of scores of ancient documents from their original Greek into Latin. Embellishing Rome and making it the worthy capital of the Christian world was at the heart of his objectives. Beginning in 1453, the ruined ancient Roman aqueduct known as the Aqua Vergine which had brought clean drinking water into the city from eight miles away, underwent reconstruction at the behest of the Pope. The ancient Roman custom of building an imposing commemorative fountain at the point where an aqueduct arrived, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. At the bidding of the Pope, architect Leon Battista Alberti began the construction of a wall fountain in the place where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The aqueduct he had refurbished included modifications and extensions which eventually allowed it to supply water to the Trevi Fountain as well as the renowned baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona.The One Cleaning Solution to NEVER Use On Your Landscape Fountains
The One Cleaning Solution to NEVER Use On Your Landscape Fountains To ensure that water fountains last a while, it is important to perform regular maintenance.
No more than 3-4 months should really go by without an extensive cleaning of a fountain. The first task is to get rid of all of the water. Next use mild soap and a soft sponge to clean inside the reservoir. If there is intricate artwork, you might need to use a toothbrush for those hard-to-reach areas. Do not leave any soap residue in or on the fountain.
It is highly advised taking the pump apart to better clean the inside and get rid of any plankton or calcium. You might want to let it soak in vinegar for a few hours to make it quicker to clean. If you want to remove build-up in your fountain, use rain water or mineral water versus tap water, as these don’t contain any ingredients that will stick to the inside of the pump.
One final tip for keeping your fountain in top working shape is to check the water level every day and make sure it is full. Allowing the water level to get too low can result in damage to the pump - and you certainly don't want that!