Fountains

According to records from the 3rd century CE there were 1,423 drinking fountains in the ancient city of Rome, today there are more than 2,000. There are several types of fountains in Rome: monumental and ornamental fountains, rione fountains (which were the main water source for the rione or district), wall fountains and the fontanelle (little fountain) and nasoni (big noses) drinking fountains. Originally, Rome's fountains relied on gravity, meaning that the source of the aqueduct had to be higher than the fountain itself. The complex calculations could often be challenging for the architects but were essential as this determined how high the fountain could shoot water. It wasn’t until the Renaissance that fountains would become a focus for the city again, this was thanks to Rome’s growing population.