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| Fountain of Alcázar N.A. Wells |
First thought was -- I want one.
Second thought was -- How did they do that before electrity?
Third thought was -- can this technology be adapted today?
So I went looking for the burladores.
In The Picturesque Antiquities of Spain, (1845), this is a description of an evening's stroll:
It is a charming evening's occupation to wander through the different enclosures of these gardens, which, although not very extensive, are characterised by so much that is uncommon in their plan and ornaments, that the lounger is never weary of them. Nor is the visible portion of their attractions more curious than the hidden sources of amusement and—ablution, by means of which an uninitiated wanderer over these china-paved walks, may be unexpectedly, and more than necessarily refreshed. By means of a handle, concealed—here in the lungs of some bathing Diana in the recesses of her grotto—here in the hollow of a harmless looking stone—an entire line of walk is instantaneously converted into a stage of hydraulics—displaying to the spectator a long line of embroidery, composed of thousands of silver threads sparkling in the sunshine, as issuing from unseen apertures in the pavement they cross each other at a height of a few feet from the ground, forming an endless variety of graceful curves. Almost all the walks are sown with these burladores, as they are termed.
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| Fountain of Alcázar N.A. Wells |
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| Spain and Portugal, p. 400, Really? Drink Maria de Padilla's bath water? So sounds like a tank is involved. |
Well, I couldn't find how they ran their fountains. But!
I remember reading about the fountains at Versailles and how they worked. Perhaps that will be a good place to start to see how fountains were powered.
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| La Machine de Marly at the Château de Marly, Louis XIV's smaller residence. La Machine powered the fountains here and at Versailles. |
Other favorite waterworks that are not so serious
- One of my favorite public gardens is the Children's garden at Huntington Gardens. There are jets and fog machines that give you a extra temporary third dimension to the garden.
References
- Alcazar of Seville (wikipedia)
- The Picturesque Antiquities of Spain; Described in a Series of Letters, With Illustrations, Representing Moorish Palaces, Cathedrals, and Other Monuments oif Art, Contained in the Cities of Burgos, Valladolid, Toledo, and Seville. NATHANIEL ARMSTRONG WELLS, 1845.
- Spain and Portugal: Handbook for Travellers, Karl Baedeker, 1898
- More on La Machine de Marley
- And more
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