Fountains For Sale

Introduction to Fountains

Derived from the Latin word "fons" or "fontis", fountains can be described as a form of architecture where water is poured out in jets. The water can also be poured out into a basin, and this is for a purely aesthetic purpose to add to the overall beauty of any location. Fountains can also be for the purpose of drinking water. Either way, fountains have become an architectural tool which is used to add to the decoration of just about anywhere. Fountains are mostly preferred in the open air, such as in a garden like atmosphere, but nowadays more and more people are opting for indoor fountains as well.

A fountain was used previously for purely functional reasons. In Rome fountains were connected to a spring and supplied a drinking water and bathing water. However, during the 14th century fountains began to be utilized as an art form in the palaces of Space, the Renaissance garden in Italy during the 15th and 16th century. Another popular use of fountains can be attributed to the Gardens of Versailles during the 17th century to create an attractive milieu.

 Today more and more people opt for fountains because they add a soothing effect, and in some places they provide cool and clean drinking water. Today fountains are found in many parks, gardens and squares.

The features used in creating a pump relied a lot on the use of gravity to have the water come out in jet streams. Modern day innovations have led to the use of mechanical pumps. A fountain can be free standing, or it might even be a wall fountain. Usually it flows out into a large basin, pool or pond, which often uses different techniques of sculpture to enhance the beauty. Water might come out in a cascade or it might overflow into the basin.

The Fountain has a History

One of the most popular forms of architecture, the fountain most certainly has a history which dates back several hundred years ago when it was being used only for practical purposes. Over time however, fountains have evolved into an artistic device which creates not only a soothing effect to the surrounding, but also results in lending beauty to the area.

The most likely reason behind designing fountains is that man has always been searching for innovative techniques to move water. Egyptians were constantly searching for a way to have their water supplied. Centering on the Nile River, the civilization that grew around it can partly be credited for the early developments of the Nile. Similarly even the Greeks and Romans made use of aqueducts to bring down water from the mountains. There has been evidence of fountains in Athens and Corinth among other major Greek centuries almost as far back as 6th century A.D. Fountains can mostly be associated with aqueducts that are connected to springs or rivers for supplying drinking water to large cities. In fact, such fountains utilized a siphon to bring out water in jets. These fountains were made from marble or stone, and water flowed from pipes made of bronze. Most often the water emerged from a sculpted mask depicting the mouth of a lion or some animal with their mouth open in a huge roar like fashion to give way to the water.

The Romans in particular used a very sophisticated and complicated network of pipes and aqueducts to have their drinking water supplied. Several free standing fountains have been unearthed from the excavations at Pompeii. The excavations show how the city had been destroyed by Mount Vesuvius during 79 A.D. and also give proof of several such fountains being a part of the streets of Pompeii at regular intervals.

In Rome at about 98 A.D. a Roman consul named Frontin was referred to as the curator aquarum, also meaning the guardian of water. Excavations and discoveries have led researchers to conclude that Rome had primarily nine aqueducts that supplied water to almost five hundred and ninety-one public basins, and thirty-nine monumental fountains.

The Romans always had to come up with innovative methods to have the water spurt out into the air and this was mostly done by utilizing hydraulic pressure or force.  The science of this was applied to the source of water present in Rome. A fine example of this is the Villa of Hadrian in Tivoli, which shows a swimming basin like structure that is quite large with jets of water.

Fountains were also a prominent feature of other major civilizations. The Palaces of Moorish Spain in particular featured several fountains all throughout. This can be seen in the garden of Genaralife in Grenada during 1319, which features a beautiful garden-like area featuring spouting water. The overall effect of this garden is enhanced by trees that are found dotting the entire garden. There is also a Lion Court as well in Alhambra, built during 1362-1391 which shows twelve statues of lions encircling a large basin. This feeds the four channels which divides the courtyard into four quadrants.

During Medieval times, fountains were found in the jardins d'amour, meaning the "garden of courtly love". This area was primarily meant to be a place for relaxation and unwinding for couples, where several fountains were found adding to the beauty of the location.

Gardens in Persia, which were quite famous, also began to incorporate fountains in their architecture. As far back as 4000 B.C. the Roman gardens had elaborate underground channel design as well as basins leading to the conclusion that they were perhaps connected to a garden. However, no direct evidence for this statement has been found yet.

In Renaissance Italy the fountain could not be dismissed as merely a device for decoration.  Instead it was a key feature of a garden. It was popular in Italy to have roads with tree lining on both side and fountains arranged symmetrically in-between to add to the overall effect.

In Piazza di Santa Maria in Rome during 1472 a fountain was built that also resulted in the design for a new form of city fountains. This was actually based on a Roman model that had been used earlier. In fact, by the nineteenth century this model of fountain became extremely popular. Since then several have been built on a similar pattern all across London, Paris and Rome.

Renaissance Italy saw the emergence of a new kind of trend as far as fountains were concerned. Mythological figures were constantly used to depict the mouth from which the water emerged. The most popular examples were found across Villa d'Este around Rome. There were also popular jokes about fountains which were hidden and surprised visitors all of a sudden by soaking them. These were referred to as the giochi d’acqua water jokes. During the 17th and 18th century the Baroque style of architecture was used in Italy to design beautiful fountains.

The fountains finally moved from gardens to become an architectural monument during the 19th century. Such fountains became places where historical events were being held or they became symbols of grandeur. The Place de la Concorde of Paris is an example of a monumental fountain, and so is the Trafalgar Square of London.

19th century had already witnessed several new innovations.  Gone were the days when fountains were being utilized to provide drinking and bathing water to homes. Most homes or apartments in Europe and America began to use a complex network of pipes to have water supplied to their homes directly. Also this was the time when a lot of cast iron fountains were being used. The lead role in this was taken by Sir Richard Wallace, British philanthropist who placed several such fountains around the city. This was primarily done to voice protest against alcoholism and to distribute water. Sixty-six such fountains were built all over Paris and even in Canada and United States.

The Science of Fountains

Gravity became the primary principle based on which 19th century fountains were beginning to be built. There was always a source point for water higher than the fountain itself. A siphon was also used to enable the water to flow.

Romans were constantly trying to come up with innovative methods to have the water distributed all across the city with the use of aqueducts. A combination of hydraulic pressure and siphon technology was being used to keep the water running constantly.

During the Middle Ages fountains all across villages and towns were being associated with springs. Some of them were even linked to channels and the water was being brought from aqueduct or rivers. Provence in France had fountains which had underground pipes and ducts. This was all connected to a vase like structure which had a cover on top of it. The vase was filled up with water to a certain level and the interior of it was referred to as the bassin de repartition. The spouts from where the water emerged were built in a slanting fashion. As the water emerged from the canons, a pressure was created, resulting in the water running constantly.

There was no scope for fountains to have the same water recycled.  Because of this fountains had to be constantly provided with water. Often residents of a town brought vessels to have water filled into them from canons. This was used for feeding horses that required plenty of drinking water. There was also plenty of water primarily used for other purposes like washing and bathing.

There were several Baroque fountains especially in the Gardens of Versailles which utilized water pressure. These fountain designs also had nozzles that shot the water upwards in different shapes and forms like and umbrella or fan. The fountains began to use up a lot of water, and using all of them at once meant wasting plenty of water. An enormous machine was built for the Versailles fountain called the Machine de Marly, which can boast of 220 pumps and 14 water wheels among other very advanced features. The King had this special habit of turning across each fountain every time he crossed the garden, and this was a special attraction for several of the garden visitors.

Modern fountains use the gravitational theory and pressure from a reservoir that cannot be seen.  This is one of the most practical ways to building a fountain. A re-circulating system is created to obtain the water. This system has to be filled with water from the start so that there is plenty of water to circulate continuously. It has to be occasionally filled with water to make up for any effects of evaporation. There are also special provisions to ensure that no damage or overflow is caused when there is torrential rain. All these factors have to be effectively combined to ensure that a well functioning and beautiful fountain is created.

 A pressure is caused, allowing the water to move across the fountain.  This effect might also be created by a motor driven or electric pump. It is essential to incorporate a water filter as well.  For this purpose a media filter can be used to remove any kind of dirt particle from the water. Chlorine or anti-algal treatment can also be used in order deal with any kind of germs or particles in water. A plumbing device is employed to pump water into the filter from the pool and back into it. Electrical hazards can be prevented by using direct current 12 volt. Floating pumps often utilize a pump nozzle and water chamber.

Fountain of Youth- Legendary Fountain

The Fountain of Youth is renowned to be a legendary fountain and popular belief has it that this fountain restores youth to anyone who drinks water from it. It is often said that this Fountain of Youth is located in Florida, and there have been several stories surrounding this legendary spring which are well associated with Florida. One of the several stories that are quite famous is that of Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer. He was also the first Governor in Puerto Rico. As he exploring Florida he was also looking for the Fountain of Youth. Herodotus had mentioned a particular type of fountain that had some special kind of water and perhaps that can be associated with this Fountain of Youth. In fact he even attributes the long life of Ethiopians to this special kind of water. The stories that have emerged surrounding this fountain can date back to the times of Alexander Romance. They were even quite popular during the European Age of Exploration.

 St. Augustine in Florida has become home to the Fountain of Youth National Archaeological Park. The fountain functions more as kind of a tribute to the place where ancient and popular stories claim that the Ponce de Leon had landed. It was made into a tourist attraction by Luella Day McConnell in the year 1904.

Several more such stories have grown around this entire concept of the Fountain of Youth. David Copperfield claimed that he had discovered the "Fountain of Youth" in the Exuma chain of the Bahamas and then even went ahead to purchase it for a large sum of money. There is also a secret society dedicated to spreading a sense of awareness and strengthening people’s belief of the Fountain of Youth.

The entire concept of the Fountain of Youth continues to survive as a popular legend and a metaphor. In contemporary times the fountain has been used over and over again in literature and cinema; the most recent depiction being the Pirates of the Caribbean film series slated to release in 2010.

Different Types of Fountains

Fountains can be broadly categorized into two distinct types: splash fountains and water fountains.

Water Fountain

Water fountains can also be referred to as drinking fountains. They are primarily designed for the purpose of drinking water. In such fountains a basin has been arranged in continuity with a tap which has a running water facility. Most of these indoor fountains must incorporate some sort of a filter which is a necessity when it comes to removing all types of impurities present in the water. A common term for water fountains used in regional parlance is "bubblers". The most common area of location of such fountains is public places like market areas, restrooms, and schools and colleges. Several of these fountain areas require provision for wheelchair accessibility so that everyone can access this drinking water. Even children are assured a low height place where they can drink water.

Splash Fountain

Splash fountains are meant more for an aesthetic purpose to allow people to feel refreshed. Splash fountains are particularly popular in hot countries where plenty of people prefer to use them to cool off and to feel soothed. Certain specific features need to be incorporated to ensure that no dangers or mishaps take place. Most important of them being a non-slip area where water is not allowed to stand. This automatically prevents any type of drowning possibility. They are even referred to as “spray grounds” if they are located in public areas or parks. In fact, some of these splash fountains even use solar energy to have the water heated from time to time.

Fountain Water Quality Factors

It is vital that a standard water quality is maintained when it comes to fountain water. Most of them are built purely for aesthetic purposes, but despite this it is imperative that water regulations are adhered to when it comes to fountain water quality. Of course, when the fountain is not meant to serve for bathing purposes or washing hands and drinking water, it is highly unlikely that people will do anything with the fountain water. However, it is always advisable to use certain precautions to eliminate all possibilities of disease or infection spread.

The most common feared disease associated with fountain water use is the Legionnaires’ disease because fountain sprays are known to contain plenty of such legionella bacteria.

Several guidelines, rules and regulations have been developed over the last few years to ensure that this disease is well dealt with to prevent any kind of disease or infection outbreak. Most parks and gardens which use water fountains must strictly adhere to such rules to ensure that visitors to the fountain are not exposed to any kind of potential risk.

There have been several reports all across the world of people using fountains for several purposes which are extremely unhygienic. Recent reports claim parents often change diapers in Disneyland and use the fountain water to wash their hands. This is one among several instances when people are known to misuse the fountain water. Possibly nothing much can be done to this effect to prevent people from handling the water in a dirty way. However it is essential for everyone in charge of a fountain to ensure that they keep cleaning the water, draining the basin and applying chemicals to keep the water free from bacteria and impurities.

These regulations are strictly followed all across the United States where maintaining fountains is of extreme importance. It is necessary for them to use filter, chlorination and treat the water constantly. Any kind of failure to follow the regular safety measures will result in legal complications. Children have a habit of dipping their hands into the fountain water and then sticking it to their mouths. This is exactly how infections and diseases are transmitted. In America the rules and regulations surrounding fountain water is extremely strict and any failure to follow them regularly results in legal consequences.

Such precautions need to be taken to prevent any kind of outbreak that might cause potential harm to human beings. In fact several such cases have been recorded where people have been negatively affected. It is purely up to fountain care takers to ensure that all the regulations are well followed. Otherwise they might get entangled in legal problems. Primarily these fountains are meant to have a recreation value where people can come and enjoy themselves. It is the responsibility of the people in charge to take good care of all visitors who go to the parks or gardens to enjoy the fountain.

During July 1997, a severe outbreak of cryptosporidiosis was reported in connection with the famous ornamental fountain of the Minnesota Zoo. The fountain here did not have good treatment and water filtration system, resulting in the outbreak.

Special Types of Fountains

Chocolate Fountain

Fountains are architectural concepts and there have been several creative ideas incorporated into the fountains designs. People have come up with quirky concepts and strange but very appealing ideas to enhance the attraction of the fountains. One of the most popular and creative ideas has to be the chocolate fountain concept, which is a favorite and a true tempting delight for any chocolate lover.

The primary purpose of a chocolate fountain is to serve chocolate fondue. The chocolate drips from the fountain, creating a tempting effect. The basin of the fountain is kept heated so the chocolate is constantly in a melted state so that the chocolate is maintained in a liquid concoction from which people can help themselves. A chocolate fountain looks very much like a cone standing several feet tall. There are different layers from which the chocolate flows continuously. It is indeed quite a vision and is used to lure chocolate loving people. Chocolate fountains can be commonly used in parties or receptions where guests can help themselves to generous amounts of liquid chocolate. These fountains are also a popular choice of décor for several sweet shops and confectionaries who want to attract customers with this pleasurable fountain.

The entire concept of chocolate fountains was initially made popular by Design & Realisation, which is a Canadian company. There were other companies like Sephra and Buffet Enhancements that later stepped in to ensure that they received a large number of people to sign up with them by making this a commodity that is very attractive in the market. Their vision helped enhance the popularity of the chocolate fountain concept. It caught on easily as people loved the whole idea of having liquid chocolate pouring out of fountains. It was indeed too good to be true!

Of course initially the entire plan was to keep chocolate fountains strictly in the commercial market because the entire process of building a chocolate fountain cost thousands of dollars. With such heavy expenses it was necessary that there was also a significant sale to ensure that there were no apparent losses. However the entire chocolate fountain concept was pretty amazing and people could hardly let it pass. When it started to emerge in all the popular catering events there was a natural curiosity among people to know more about how they could purchase their own personal fountain.

The idea was taken further by the Hellman Group during 2004 when to the relief of everybody the Nostalgia Chocolate Fountain was made for personal use. Soon enough other companies were fast enough to catch up and there were plenty of amazingly well designed chocolate fountain models that customers purchased for their regular use. There were new home made models for the chocolate fountain which were extremely drool worthy and everyone wanted to purchase something for their own homes. This also meant a boost in the world of chocolate sales. New flavors began to be used for chocolates like caramel, mint, cheese, and syrup among several others to increase the appeal of the chocolate fondue.

When a chocolate fountain was designed, certain things had to be kept in mind. Melted chocolate had to be replaced with chocolate which is extremely high in cocoa butter. Often time additives were mixed so that the viscosity was decreased. There are special regulations to be met with regards to the flowing chocolate of the fountain. Chocolate makers must keep these important factors in mind while making this kind of chocolate. Most of these fountains are not able to melt the chocolate into the basin directly. Due to this the chocolate is made to melt using a microwave or at times even a boiler. The melted chocolate is then carefully poured in to the fountain.

Plenty of times using a chocolate fountain at home can become rather problematic due to the fact that gravitational forces might be much lower. There is also a cheaper alternative to the kind of chocolate which is high in cocoa butter- flavored syrup, referred to as chocolate coating. It is reasonably priced and the chocolate is already in a liquid form. One can also use dark chocolate where there is a lot of cocoa. This is a true delight for all dark chocolate lovers.

Musical Fountain

With a whole range of new concepts the latest trend as far as fountains are concerned are most certainly the musical fountain. This special type of fountain is also referred to as a hydraulaphone, which has to be played just like a musical instrument. Such special musical fountains use air instead of water. There are multiple "mouths" which the player can use to regulate passing of air and manipulate sound.

Garden Fountains

These fountains are most certainly the most popular decoration used to increase the overall beauty of a garden and make it extremely appealing to people visiting the fountain. Designing a fountain requires a dexterous laborer who is willing to experiment and allow space for conventionality and technology. The entire design of the garden fountain is integral to increasing its entire appeal. In modern times in fact the fountains are being used for their soothing properties. Fountains form an important part of any feng shui surrounding, which is important when it comes to attracting people. The garden also gets a special characteristic and people usually like to gather and sit around the fountain. They like to hear the flowing of the water, which can be quite musical to the ears.

Nowadays fountains can be purchased from several stores that are selling pre made fountains of different types and designs so that it is much easier for people to implement them in their home backyard or indoors. Gone are the days when fountains were considered to be monumental structures of the city. More and more people are beginning to accept the healing properties of a fountain. Naturally there is a high demand for using them within homes. The fountain used indoors is relatively smaller in size.
Garden fountains on the other hand bind the entire place together and becomes a meeting point for birds, animals and flowers. Not only does a fountain add to the aesthetic value of the entire place, but it also lends a sense of unity and overall architectural semblance.

The design of the garden fountain really depends on what suits the garden the best. Extremely popular at one time in Italy was the Baroque style of architecture, which lent a distinct and elaborate feature to the entire garden effect. Nowadays all kinds of fountains can be purchased depending upon your artistic style. You can even have your architect design something specifically for you with your instructions.

What kind of materials can you use?
 
While designing your garden fountain remember to use an element of creativity, but also rely a lot on traditional and conventional methods that have been used for centuries to build beautiful fountains. Common materials that you can make good use of are stones, copper, fiber, and wood. Check with your architect to ensure that the materials used can withstand harsh weather conditions. Also if you want to use solar energy to heat your garden fountain you can use specific slabs of stone, which aids the process naturally.

When it comes to the design of the fountain you can incorporate your own ideas or take help from your architect. You can also take a look at the plenty of stores that sell pre made special fountains designed specifically for your garden. You have to be prepared to pay a hefty amount of money, but it won’t seem like a large price to pay when it comes to the décor of your home. Opt for a color scheme pattern that goes well with the rest of the house or buildings around. Do not go in for anything too tacky when it comes to the right color scheme. The idea is to keep the entire thing subtle and soft so that your garden ends up looking beautiful and not overdone. If you can be a little daring, blend in contemporary with traditional to create something unique and interesting or you can just stick to a specific style if you are not feeling all that ambitious about your ideas!  

There are different types of garden fountains which you can opt for. Whatever you choose make sure it goes well with the overall setting because you want to be able to create the perfect harmonious balance so that your garden looks beautiful and not overdone. The two different types of garden fountains are essentially the outdoor garden fountains and garden wall fountains. Both these distinct styles can be used within public places to enhance the look, and even inside your home to add to the perfect healing touch.

Outdoor garden fountains are always very well crafted. The materials used to carve out these fountains are sandstone & other distinct types of stone. The main fact to ensure is that these stones must be durable and quite hardy so that they can face up to inclement weather conditions. These stones have an amazing finish, which means that they will remain extremely durable and useful all throughout hard weather conditions. A distinctive feature of such outdoor garden fountain lies in its finishing, which adds a sense of beauty to the surrounding area.

Nowadays garden fountains have also become quite popular. They are usually found in low sprays in a basin like structure and they are usually quite compact. Such fountains also use embellishments, which add to the overall effect.

No matter what kind of fountain is being used it is important that a safety hygiene routine is maintained as far as the water is concerned. If you are planning to opt for a fountain at your own home, you can be quite innovative as far as the style is concerned, but keep in mind that you are regularly expected to drain out the water and keep the fountain neat and clean.