Fountain (Ital. fontana, from Latin fons, fontis — source, spring)

A structure that serves as a base or framing for jets of water that shoot upward or flow downward. Originally fountains were built primarily as a source of drinking water. Later, the combination of moving water with architecture, sculpture, and plantings became one of the means of creating various solutions in garden and park design. Fountains were a favorite decoration of city squares in ancient…

A structure that serves as a base or framing for jets of water that shoot upward or flow downward. Originally fountains were built primarily as a source of drinking water. Later, the combination of moving water with architecture, sculpture, and plantings became one of the means of creating various solutions in garden and park design. Fountains were a favorite decoration of city squares in ancient and medieval Western European cities, in the countries of the Near and Middle East, and in India. In the 16th–18th centuries, grand systems of fountains were created at villas and palace-park complexes. Modern fountains are given a decorative character, which is enhanced by electric lighting and music in the evening hours.