The Advancement of Garden Fountains
Garden fountains were thought to have been initially used in the Middle East. Evidence this was found in the walls of historic Egyptian tombs which were uncovered by archaeologists. The drawings exhibited rectangular garden fountains in the courtyards of homes, surrounded by trees and were believed to be an escape from the hot sun.
Likewise the Romans followed suit through making public baths in gardens with fountains. Generally the Roman garden fountains started to be the connections to bodies of water that give drinking, irrigation and bathing water to the people. People from the olden times cleverly made good use of gravity by placing their water sources above or at higher ground from where they were so that water could flow down naturally. Such development evolved to having somewhat a functional element to being somewhat decorative element. These types of structures were utilized to honor their builders, rulers of the state, pagan idols, and even animals. The Romans also renovated aqueducts and constructed decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who had them built. The Popes had used the fountains to brighten the city to really make it a worthy capital of the Christian world.
Persians likewise created sophisticated architectural structures that surrounded gardens with fountains. These garden fountains are still being used today and several are actually part of the tourist trail. Facts from India, China, Japan and Spain also surfaced that they also built gardens with fountains, thought to be influenced by the countries that adapted this practice first and pass on as research grew to become very rampant. In France, the garden fountains in Versailles were believed to have been created to show man’s power over nature. It was commissioned by King Louis XVI. This massive park having its gardens, caves and fountains should not be forgotten while visiting Versailles. This also boasts of extra structures like the he Orangerie, the Grand Canal, Estate of Marie-Antoinette and the French Gardens all enclosed in the 800-hectare palace grounds.
Throughout the Renaissance period in Italy, gardens started to be more and more intricate. Special garden fountains with waterfalls started to show up throughout Europe. They became somewhat of a status symbol. The larger and more complex the fountain in your garden, the more secure and important you were in the society.
Through the more modern 18th century, garden settings were made to emulate the wilderness as man-made rivers and ponds had taken over the space where garden fountains used to be, amid scattered trees and well-placed bushes. In the 20th century, however, garden fountains made a comeback because they were placed indoors as gardens were continued inside the house in places with warmer climates.
These days, garden fountains aren’t limited to the confines of a garden. They are being utilized in shopping malls, office buildings, along with other indoor structures. They are now urban structures utilized to showcase architectural prowess, particularly with the utilization of mechanical pumps. An example would be King Fahd’s Fountain in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, which boasts of being able to sprout water up to 850 feet above the Red Sea. The humble garden fountains have, indeed, made great strides.
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