From Where Did Water Features Emerge?
From Where Did Water Features Emerge? Pope Nicholas V, himself a learned man, reigned the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of old classic Greek documents into Latin. He undertook the beautification of Rome to turn it into the model capital of the Christian world. In 1453 the Pope commissioned the rebuilding of the Aqua Vergine, an historic Roman aqueduct which had carried fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away. The ancient Roman tradition of building an imposing commemorative fountain at the point where an aqueduct arrived, also known as a mostra, was resurrected by Nicholas V. At the bidding of the Pope, architect Leon Battista Alberti began the construction of a wall fountain in the place where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain as well as the renowned baroque fountains found in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona were eventually supplied with water from the modified aqueduct he had reconstructed.Anglo-Saxon Landscapes at the Time of the Norman Conquest
Anglo-Saxon Landscapes at the Time of the Norman Conquest The arrival of the Normans in the 2nd half of the 11th century irreparably altered The Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. At the time of the conquest, the Normans surpassed the Anglo-Saxons in building design and cultivation. However the Normans had to pacify the overall territory before they could focus on home life, domestic architecture, and decoration. Most often constructed upon windy peaks, castles were straightforward structures that allowed their occupants to devote time and space to offensive and defensive schemes, while monasteries were rambling stone buildings generally installed in only the most fecund, broad valleys. The tranquil practice of gardening was unlikely in these dreary bastions. The early Anglo-Norman style of architecture is exemplified in Berkeley Castle, which is most likely the most untouched sample we have. The keep is reported to have been developed during the time of William the Conqueror. An enormous terrace encompasses the building, serving as an impediment to attackers intending to dig under the castle walls.