The Genesis Of Garden Fountains
The Genesis Of Garden Fountains A fountain, an incredible 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 practical. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the area. Up to the late nineteenth century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and higher than the fountain so that gravity could make the water move downwards or jet high into the air. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the designer who created it. The main materials used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to mimic the gardens of paradise. The fountains found in the Gardens of Versailles were supposed to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to laud their positions by including decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains serve mostly as decoration for public spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational gatherings.
Bernini’s Very First Italian Fountains

Your Outdoor Living Area: An Ideal Place for a Fountain

Spouting or cascading fountains are not the best choice for a small backyard since they need a great deal of space. You can choose to install a stand-alone fountain with a flat back and an attached basin propped against a fence or wall in your backyard, or a wall-mounted type which is self-contained and hung from a wall. A fountain can be added to an existing wall if you include some type of fountain mask as well as a basin to gather the water below. Be sure to work with a professional for this type of job since it is better not to do it yourself due to the intricate plumbing and masonry work needed.
Anglo-Saxon Grounds During the Norman Conquest
Anglo-Saxon Grounds During the Norman Conquest The Anglo-Saxon way of life was dramatically changed by the arrival of the Normans in the later eleventh century. The talent of the Normans surpassed the Anglo-Saxons' in architecture and farming at the time of the conquest. But before centering on home-life or having the occasion to think about domestic architecture or decoration, the Normans had to subjugate an entire society. Castles were more standard constructions and often constructed on blustery hills, where their tenants spent both time and space to exercising offense and defense, while monasteries were considerable stone buildings, regularly located in the widest, most fertile hollows. Gardening, a peaceful occupation, was impracticable in these fruitless fortifications. Berkeley Castle, maybe the most unspoiled style of the early Anglo-Norman style of architecture, still exists in the present day.