Where did Landscape Fountains Originate from?
Where did Landscape Fountains Originate from?
Originally, fountains only served a practical purpose. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to provide potable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water supply, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Acting as an element of decoration and celebration, fountains also provided clean, fresh drinking water. Roman fountains usually depicted images of animals or heroes made of metal or stone masks. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to re-create the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to exalt their positions by adding beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
The end of the 19th century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. The creation of special water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by replacing gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for community spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational activities.