The Genesis Of Wall Fountains
The Genesis Of Wall Fountains A fountain, an incredible piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for an extraordinary effect. Pure practicality was the original purpose of fountains. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, via aqueducts or springs nearby. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains operated using the force of gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a supply 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 decorate homes and celebrate the artist who created it. 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. To demonstrate his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the spot where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Indoor plumbing became the main source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby restricting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern fountains are used to adorn public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enrich recreational and entertainment events.
The Outcome of the Norman Conquest on Anglo-Saxon Garden Design
The Outcome of the Norman Conquest on Anglo-Saxon Garden Design The Anglo-Saxon way of life was dramatically changed by the arrival of the Normans in the later eleventh century. The expertise of the Normans exceeded the Anglo-Saxons' in architecture and agriculture at the time of the conquest. However the Normans had to pacify the whole territory before they could concentrate on home life, domestic architecture, and decoration. Monasteries and castles served different purposes, so while monasteries were enormous stone structures built in only the most productive, wide dales, castles were set upon blustery knolls where the residents focused on learning offensive and defensive strategies. The serene practice of gardening was unrealistic in these dreary bastions.
The early Anglo-Norman style of architecture is exemplified in Berkeley Castle, which is perhaps the most unscathed example we have. It is said that the keep was introduced during William the Conqueror's time. An enormous terrace encompasses the building, serving as an obstruction to attackers intending to dig under the castle walls. On one of these parapets is a scenic bowling green covered in grass and bordered by an aged hedge of yew that has been designed into coarse battlements.