A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinkable water, as well as for decorative purposes.
From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to supply potable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water supply, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Serving as an element of decoration and celebration, fountains also provided clean, fresh drinking water. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to beautify their fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to mimic the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by click this over here now including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. To mark the entryway of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the construction of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts entered the city of Rome
The end of the 19th century saw the rise in usage of indoor plumbing to supply drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to strictly decorative elements. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to permit fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational activities.