Where did Fountains Originate from?
Where did Fountains Originate from? A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also launch water high into the air for an extraordinary effect.From the beginning, outdoor fountains were soley there to serve as functional elements. 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. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to supply clean water and honor the designer responsible for building it. Bronze or stone masks of wildlife and heroes were frequently seen on Roman fountains. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles.
The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were extolled with baroque style fountains built to mark the place of entry of Roman aqueducts.
Indoor plumbing became the main source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to enable fountains to bring in clean water and allow for beautiful water displays.
Modern-day fountains serve mostly as decoration for public spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational gatherings.
Outdoor Fountains Hydro-Statics 101
Outdoor Fountains Hydro-Statics 101 Liquid in a state of equilibrium exerts force on the objects it touches, including its container. The force applied falls into one of two categories: external force or hydrostatic energy. The force applied by the liquid against a level wall is identical at every point where it makes contact with the wall. Liquid in equilibrium will apply vertical pressure at every point of an object’s exterior when that subject is fully submersed in the liquid. We refer to this concept as Archimedes’ principle, which deals with the forces of buoyancy.
Liquid acted on by hydrostatic force is then subject to hydrostatic pressure at the point of contact. These principles are applied to the containers used by plumbing, wells, and fountains.