Back Story of Wall Fountains
Back Story of Wall 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 ancient classic Greek documents into Latin. It was important for him to embellish the city of Rome to make it worthy of being called the capital of the Christian world. Starting 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 repair at the behest of the Pope. The ancient Roman tradition of building an awe-inspiring commemorative fountain at the point where an aqueduct arrived, also known as a mostra, was resurrected by Nicholas V. The present-day location of the Trevi Fountain was previously occupied by a wall fountain commissioned by the Pope and built by the architect Leon Battista Alberti. The water which eventually furnished the Trevi Fountain as well as the renown baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona came from the modified aqueduct which he had renovated.Builders of the First Garden Fountains
Builders of the First Garden Fountains Often working as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and highly educated scholars all in one, from the 16th to the later part of the 18th century, fountain designers were multi-talented people, During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci illustrated the artist as a inspired intellect, creator and scientific specialist. The forces of nature led him to analyze the qualities and motion of water, and due to his curiosity, he systematically captured his observations in his now celebrated notebooks. Coupling creativity with hydraulic and landscaping mastery, early Italian fountain creators changed private villa settings into innovative water displays filled with emblematic implications and natural elegance. Known for his virtuosity in archeology, design and garden design, Pirro Ligorio, the humanist, offered the vision behind the wonders in Tivoli.