Contemporary Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Beginnings

Contemporary Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Beginnings 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.

The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Inhabitants of cities, 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 until the nineteenth, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water supply, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were not only utilized as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to decorate their fountains. Throughout the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners incorporated fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. To demonstrate his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured baroque decorative fountains to exalt the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the spot where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.

Urban fountains made at the end of the nineteenth functioned only as decorative and celebratory adornments since indoor plumbing provided the necessary drinking water. The creation of unique water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.

Nowadays, fountains decorate public areas and are used to honor individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.

The Distribution of Outdoor Garden Fountain Engineering Knowledge in Europe

The Distribution of Outdoor Garden Fountain Engineering Knowledge in Europe The published documents and illustrated books of the day contributed to the advancements of scientific innovation, and were the primary means of dissiminating useful hydraulic facts and water feature ideas throughout Europe. In the late 1500's, a French water fountain developer (whose name has been lost) was the internationally renowned hydraulics pioneer. By developing landscapes and grottoes with integrated and ingenious water attributes, he started off his career in Italy by earning imperial commissions in Brussels, London and Germany. “The Principles of Moving Forces”, a publication which became the fundamental book on hydraulic technology and engineering, was composed by him toward the end of his lifetime in France. Explaining modern hydraulic systems, the book also modified critical hydraulic advancements of classical antiquity. As a mechanized method to move water, Archimedes invented the water screw, fundamental among crucial hydraulic discoveries. Natural light warmed the water in two hidden vessels adjoining to the decorative fountain were displayed in an illustration.Distribution Outdoor Garden Fountain Engineering Knowledge Europe 186608727728704.jpg The hot water expands and then ascends and closes the pipes consequently activating the fountain. Pumps, water wheels, water features and backyard pond styles are mentioned in the publication.
The Use of Garden Fountains As Water Features The motion of water winding in or through a large feature is what defines of a water feature.There is a broad array of such features going from something as simple as a suspended wall fountain or as elaborate as a courtyard tiered fountain.... read more


The Countless Designs of Wall Fountains Wall fountains are well suited to small verandas or gardens because they do not take up too much space while also adding a bit of flair and providing a great place to find peace and quiet.... read more


The Hellenic Republic: Cultural Sculpture Historically, the vast majority of sculptors were compensated by the temples to decorate the involved columns and archways with renderings of the gods, but as the era came to a close it grew to be more common for sculptors to portray ordinary people as well because many Greeks had begun to think of their institution as superstitious rather than sacred.... read more


The Minoan Culture: Fountains A variety of kinds of conduits have been found through archaeological excavations on the isle of Crete, the birthplace of Minoan society.They were used for water supply as well as removal of storm water and wastewater.... read more


Aspects of Outdoor Sculpture in Archaic Greece The primitive Greeks built the very first freestanding statuary, an amazing achievement as most sculptures up until then had been reliefs cut into walls and pillars.... read more


Setting Up and Maintaining Wall fountains A very important first step is to consider the proportions of the outdoor wall fountain with regards to the area you have available for it.In order to hold up its total weight, a solid wall is necessary.... read more


What Are Landscape Fountains Created From? Most modern garden fountains come in metal, although various other types exist.Metallic ones offer clean lines and unique sculptural accents and can accommodate nearly any decorative style and budget.... read more