Where did Landscape Fountains Begin?
Where did Landscape Fountains Begin? A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinkable water, as well as for decorative purposes.The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional.
Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to supply them with potable water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains functioned 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. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the designer who created it. Bronze or stone masks of animals and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to re-create the gardens of paradise. Fountains played 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 building of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts entered the city of Rome
Urban fountains built at the end of the nineteenth served only as decorative and celebratory ornaments since indoor plumbing provided the essential drinking water. Gravity was replaced by mechanical pumps in order to permit fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
Nowadays, fountains adorn public spaces and are used to honor individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.
The Fountains
The Fountains Water fountains were initially practical in function, used to deliver water from canals or springs to cities and villages, supplying the inhabitants with clean water to drink, wash, and prepare food with. In the years before electric power, the spray of fountains was driven by gravity only, often using an aqueduct or water resource located far away in the surrounding mountains.
Fountains throughout history have been designed as memorials, impressing local citizens and travelers alike. Simple in design, the very first water fountains did not look much like modern fountains. Crafted for drinking water and ceremonial purposes, the initial fountains were basic carved stone basins. Stone basins as fountains have been uncovered from 2,000 BC. The first fountains put to use in ancient civilizations depended on gravity to regulate the circulation of water through the fountain. These ancient fountains were designed to be functional, usually situated along reservoirs, creeks and rivers to provide drinking water. Fountains with flowery decoration started to appear in Rome in about 6 BC, normally gods and wildlife, made with stone or bronze. A well-designed collection of reservoirs and aqueducts kept Rome's public water fountains supplied with fresh water.