Where did Large Garden Fountains Come From?

The primary purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Residents of cities, townships and small towns utilized 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. Until the late nineteenth, century most water fountains operated using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a source of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Designers thought of fountains as amazing additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and celebrate the designer responsible for building it. Roman fountains often depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. To mark the entrance of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the building of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts entered the city of Rome
Urban fountains made at the end of the nineteenth served only as decorative and celebratory ornaments since indoor plumbing provided the necessary drinking water. The introduction of unique water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
Contemporary fountains are used to adorn public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Water Features
Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Water Features