Water Features Lost to History

Water Features Lost to History Water fountains were initially practical in purpose, used to bring water from canals or creeks to towns and hamlets, supplying the residents with clean water to drink, bathe, and cook with. In the years before electrical power, the spray of fountains was powered by gravity exclusively, usually using an aqueduct or water source located far away in the surrounding mountains. Frequently used as memorials and commemorative edifices, water fountains have inspired travelers from all over the planet all through the centuries. When you encounter a fountain today, that is not what the 1st water fountains looked like. Designed for drinking water and ceremonial functions, the first fountains were basic carved stone basins. 2,000 BC is when the oldest known stone fountain basins were originally used. The earliest civilizations that used fountains depended on gravity to push water through spigots. The location of the fountains was influenced by the water source, which is why you’ll usually find them along reservoirs, canals, or streams. Fountains with elaborate decoration started to show up in Rome in approximately 6 B.C., commonly gods and creatures, made with stone or bronze. A well-engineered collection of reservoirs and aqueducts kept Rome's public fountains supplied with fresh water.

The History of Outdoor Water Fountains

The History of Outdoor Water Fountains The translation of hundreds of classic Greek texts into Latin was commissioned by the scholarly Pope Nicholas V who ruled the Church in Rome from 1397 until 1455. History Outdoor Water Fountains 48574139116.jpg

History Outdoor Water Fountains 48574139116.jpg

In order to make Rome worthy of being the capital of the Christian world, the Pope decided to embellish the beauty of the city. In 1453 the Pope instigated the repairing of the Aqua Vergine, an historic Roman aqueduct which had carried clean drinking water into the city from eight miles away. A mostra, a monumental dedicatory fountain constructed by ancient Romans to mark the point of arrival of an aqueduct, was a practice which was revived by Nicholas V. At the bidding of the Pope, architect Leon Battista Alberti began the construction of a wall fountain in the spot where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain as well as the well-known baroque fountains found in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona were eventually supplied with water from the modified aqueduct he had reconstructed.

The Distribution of Water Fountain Manufacturing Knowledge in Europe

The Distribution of Water Fountain Manufacturing Knowledge in Europe Contributing to the development of scientific technology were the printed papers and illustrated books of the time. They were also the primary means of transferring useful hydraulic information and fountain design suggestions all through Europe. An un-named French fountain designer was an internationally renowned hydraulic leader in the later part of the 1500's. His competence in designing gardens and grottoes with built-in and imaginative water attributes began in Italy and with mandates in Brussels, London and Germany. “The Principles of Moving Forces”, a publication that became the essential book on hydraulic technology and engineering, was written by him towards the end of his lifetime in France. Replacing vital hydraulic discoveries of classical antiquity, the book also highlights contemporary hydraulic technologies. As a mechanical means to push water, Archimedes devised the water screw, key among vital hydraulic innovations. Sunlight warmed the liquid in two hidden containers adjoining to the beautiful fountain were displayed in an illustration. Activating the fountain is heated liquid which expands and ascends to close up the water lines. Concepts for pumps, water wheels, water features and garden ponds are also covered in the guide.