Agrippa’s Intriguing Water-lifting Machine

Agrippa’s Intriguing Water-lifting Machine Though the mechanism developed by Agrippa for raising water earned the respect of Andrea Bacci in 1588, it appeared to fade not long thereafter.

It might have turned out to be dated once the Villa Medici was set to receive water from the Acqua Felice, the early modern aqueduct, in 1592. In reality it was perhaps simply abandoned when Ferdinando returned to Florence in 1588 following the demise of his brother, Francesco di Medici, leading Ferdinando to give up his cardinalship in order to protect his position as the next Grand Duke of Tuscany. There may have been some other impressive water-related works in Renaissance landscapes in the late sixteenth century, such as fountains which played music, water caprices (or giochi d’acqua) and also scenographic water presentations, but nothing were motorized by water which defied gravitation.

The Origins Of Fountains

The Origins Of Fountains 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.

From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply meant to serve as functional elements. Origins Fountains 4559038697.jpg 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. Up to the late nineteenth century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and more elevated than the fountain so that gravity could make the water move downwards or jet high into the air. Designers thought of fountains as amazing additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to supply clean water and celebrate the designer responsible for creating it. The main materials used by the Romans to build their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly illustrating animals or heroes. To illustrate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. To show his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to extol their positions by adding beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.

Since indoor plumbing became the standard of the day for fresh, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely ornamental. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.

Modern fountains are used to adorn community spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.

The Source of Today's Outdoor Water Fountains

The Source of Today's Outdoor Water Fountains The translation of hundreds of classical Greek texts into Latin was commissioned by the scholarly Pope Nicholas V who ruled the Church in Rome from 1397 until 1455. It was important for him to embellish the city of Rome to make it worthy of being known as the capital of the Christian world. Reconstruction of the Acqua Vergine, a desolate Roman aqueduct which had carried clean drinking water into the city from eight miles away, began in 1453 at the bidding of the Pope. The ancient Roman custom of building an imposing commemorative fountain at the point where an aqueduct arrived, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. The present-day site of the Trevi Fountain was formerly occupied by a wall fountain commissioned by the Pope and built by the architect Leon Battista Alberti. The aqueduct he had refurbished included modifications and extensions which eventually enabled it to supply water to the Trevi Fountain as well as the famed baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona.