The Magificent First Wonders by Bernini
The Magificent First Wonders by Bernini The Barcaccia, a beautiful fountain constructed at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna, was Bernini's earliest water fountain. This spot is still filled with Roman locals and tourists who like to exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. Today, the city streets surrounding Bernini's fountain are a trendy area where people go to gather, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. The master's first water fountain of his career was built at around 1630 at the behest of Pope Urbano VIII. People can now see the fountain as a depiction of a commanding ship gradually sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. The great flooding of the Tevere that covered the whole region with water in the 16th was memorialized by this momentous fountain as recorded by reports dating back to this period.
Modern Garden Decor: Large Outdoor Water Fountains and their Beginnings

From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply meant to serve as functional elements. Inhabitants of urban areas, townships and small towns used them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash, which meant that fountains had to be connected to nearby aqueduct or spring. Used until the 19th century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and memorialize the designer. Roman fountains usually depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to mimic the gardens of paradise. Fountains enjoyed a considerable role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. To mark the entryway of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the construction of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts entered the city of Rome
Since indoor plumbing became the norm of the day for fresh, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely ornamental. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to permit fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
These days, fountains decorate public areas and are used to pay tribute to individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.
Did You Know How Technical Concepts of Water Fountains Became Known?
Did You Know How Technical Concepts of Water Fountains Became Known? Throughout Europe, the chief means of dissiminating practical hydraulic facts and fountain design ideas were the circulated pamphlets and illustrated publications of the day, which contributed to the evolution of scientific development.