Where did Fountains Come From?
Where did Fountains Come From? 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 role of fountains. Water fountains were linked to a spring or aqueduct to provide drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains functioned using 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. Acting as an element of adornment and celebration, fountains also provided clean, fresh drinking water. The main components used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly illustrating animals or heroes. Throughout the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners included fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. To show his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were extolled with baroque style fountains made to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
Urban fountains created at the end of the 19th century functioned only as decorative and celebratory ornaments since indoor plumbing provided the necessary drinking water. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity enabled fountains to deliver recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.
Nowadays, fountains decorate public spaces and are used to honor individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.
The First Modern Outdoor Wall Fountains
The First Modern Outdoor Wall Fountains Pope Nicholas V, himself a well educated man, governed the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of old classical Greek texts into Latin. In order to make Rome worthy of being the capital of the Christian world, the Pope decided to enhance the beauty of the city. Reconstruction of the Acqua Vergine, a desolate Roman aqueduct which had carried fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away, began in 1453 at the behest of the Pope. The ancient Roman tradition of building an imposing commemorative fountain at the point where an aqueduct arrived, also known as a mostra, was revived by Nicholas V. The present-day location of the Trevi Fountain was previously 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.
The Benefits of Solar Energy Powered Wall fountains
The Benefits of Solar Energy Powered Wall fountains Garden wall fountains can be fueled in several different ways. The recent interest in alternative power has led to a rise in the usage of solar powered fountains, even though till now they have mainly been powered by electricity. Even though initial costs may be greater, solar powered water fountains are the most cost-effective going forward. An array of different elements such as terra cotta, copper, porcelain, or bronze are typically used in making solar powered water features. Your decor dictates which type best suits you. If you are looking to have your own garden retreat, these kinds of fountains are ideal because they are easy to maintain and also have a positive effect on the environment. Interior wall fountains not only give you something beautiful to look at, they also help to cool your house. An alternative to air conditioners and swamp coolers, they cool down your home by using the same techniques. Since they eat up less energy, they also help you save money on your monthly energy bill.
Their cooling effect can be activated by blowing fresh, dry air across them. Utilizing the ceiling fan or air from a corner of the room can help to enhance circulation. It is crucial to ensure that air is always blowing over the top of the water. It is normal for fountains and waterfalls to generate cool, fresh air. Merely being in the vicinity of a sizeable public fountain or waterfall will send a sudden chill through whoever is close by. Putting your fountain cooling system in a place that is especially hot reduces its effectiveness. Direct sunlight, for example, reduces the efficiency of your fountain to produce cool air.
The Many Styles of Wall Water Fountains
The Many Styles of Wall Water Fountains
Wall fountains are well suited to small verandas or gardens because they do not require too much space while also adding a touch of style and providing a great place to find peace and quiet. Conventional, antique, modern, or Asian are just some of the styles you can pick from when looking for an outdoor wall fountain to your liking. It is possible to have one customized if you are not able to find a prefabricated fountain to suit you. The two kinds of fountains available to you are mounted and freestanding models. Small, self-contained mounted wall fountains can be installed on any surface. Ordinarily made of resin (to resemble stone) or fiber glass, these sorts of fountains are lightweight and easy to hang. Floor fountains are freestanding, big, and also have a basin on the floor as well as a flat side against the wall. Water features such as these are typically made of cast stone and have no weight restrictions.
It is a good idea to incorporate a customized fountain into a new or existing wall, something often suggested by landscape professionals. Placing the basin against the wall and installing all the plumbing work requires a expert mason to do it properly. You will need to integrate a spout or fountain mask into the wall. Customized wall fountains lend to a unified look because they become part of the landscape rather than look like a later addition.
A Layman's Guide to Hydrostatics
A Layman's Guide to Hydrostatics All liquids in a state of equilibrium exert pressure on the materials it comes in contact with. These fall into two categories, hydrostatic load or outside force. When applied against a level surface, the liquid applies equal force against all points of that surface. An object that’s completely submerged in a fluid that’s in equilibrium experiences vertical force on all points of its body. This applied force is known as buoyancy, while the concept itself is known as Archimedes’ principle.
Liquid acted on by hydrostatic force is then subject to hydrostatic pressure at the point of contact. Examples of these containers can be uncovered in the way a city disperses water, along with its fountains and artesian wells.
The Major Characteristics of Classic Greek Sculpture
The Major Characteristics of Classic Greek Sculpture The initial freestanding statuary was designed by the Archaic Greeks, a distinguished achievement since until then the only carvings in existence were reliefs cut into walls and columns. Younger, attractive male or female (kore) Greeks were the subject matter of most of the sculptures, or kouros figures.
The kouroi were believed by the Greeks to embody beauty and were sculpted with one foot leading and an uncompromising stiffness to their forward-facing poses; the male statues were always strapping, brawny, and unclothed. Life-sized versions of the kouroi appeared beginning in 650 BC. The Archaic period was an extraordinary time of transformation for the Greeks as they expanded into new forms of government, created novel expressions of art, and gained knowledge of the people and cultures outside of Greece. But in spite of the conflicts, the Greek civilization went on to advance, unabated.
Outdoor Fountains And Their Use In Crete & Minoa
Outdoor Fountains And Their Use In Crete & Minoa Archaeological digs in Minoan Crete in Greece have uncovered varied varieties of conduits.
They not solely aided with the water sources, they extracted rainwater and wastewater as well. They were for the most part built from terracotta or stone. Whenever clay was used, it was normally for waterways as well as pipes which came in rectangular or spherical forms. There are two good examples of Minoan clay piping, those with a shortened cone shape and a U-shape which have not been caught in any society ever since. The water supply at Knossos Palace was managed with a strategy of terracotta piping which was positioned beneath the floor, at depths ranging from a couple of centimeters to several meters. Along with distributing water, the clay conduits of the Minoans were also made use of to amass water and accumulate it. This called for the terracotta piping to be suitable for holding water without leaking. Underground Water Transportation: This hidden method for water distribution could possibly have been utilized to furnish water to specific men and women or functions. Quality Water Transportation: The pipes may furthermore have been made use of to move water to fountains that were distinct from the city’s general process.