Bernini's Early Masterpieces
Bernini's Early Masterpieces
The Barcaccia, Bernini's first water fountain, is a magnificent chef d'oeuvre built at the foot of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. To this day, you will see Roman residents and vacation goers occupying this area to revel in chit chatter and being among other people. Today, the city streets around Bernini's fountain are a trendy area where people go to meet, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. The master's very first water fountain of his career was built at around 1630 at the request of Pope Urbano VIII. An enormous boat slowly sinking into the Mediterranean is the fountain's central theme. Period reports dating back to the 16th century show that the fountain was built as a monument to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. Absenting himself from Italy only once in his life for a prolonged period of time, in 1665 Bernini traveled to France.
Beautiful Wall Fountains
Beautiful Wall Fountains Leave a positive impression on your loved ones by incorporating a wall fountain in your home decor. In addition to the relaxing background sounds a wall water feature contributes to any living space, it also imparts charm.
People will walk away with a memorable impression of the delightful sights and comforting sounds eminating from it. Even a living space with a modern design can be improved with a wall fountain. Also made in modern-day materials such as stainless steel or glass, they can add pizzazz to your interior decor. Does your home or business have a small amount of space? The ideal choice for you is a wall water fountain. You can save your limited space by hanging one on a wall. You may notice that many busy workplace lobbies have fountains. Inside spaces are not the only places to hang a wall fountain, however. Outdoor wall water features can be made of fiberglass or resin. Enliven your yard, patio, or other outdoor space with a water fountain made of these water-resistant materials.
Wall fountains come in a number of diverse styles covering the modern to the traditional and rustic. You can choose the best style based upon your personal tastes. A mountain lodge might require a traditional material such as slate whereas a high rise apartment might need sleek glass to liven up the interior space. The material you get depends solely on your design ideas. No doubt however, fountains are sure to add to your quality of life and impress your guests.
Water Transport Solutions in Historic Rome
Water Transport Solutions in Historic Rome With the development of the 1st elevated aqueduct in Rome, the Aqua Anio Vetus in 273 BC, folks who lived on the city’s foothills no longer had to be dependent only on naturally-occurring spring water for their demands. Throughout this time period, there were only 2 other systems capable of delivering water to higher areas, subterranean wells and cisterns, which accumulated rainwater. In the early 16th century, the city began to utilize the water that ran below the ground through Acqua Vergine to deliver drinking water to Pincian Hill. As originally constructed, the aqueduct was provided along the length of its channel with pozzi (manholes) constructed at regular intervals.
While these manholes were developed to make it much easier to protect the aqueduct, it was also feasible to use containers to pull water from the channel, which was done by Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi from the time he obtained the property in 1543 to his passing in 1552. The cistern he had made to gather rainwater wasn’t sufficient to meet his water needs. To give himself with a much more streamlined means to assemble water, he had one of the manholes opened, providing him access to the aqueduct below his property.