If you are using water for drinking and cleaning only, you might miss a fascinating side of maybe the most precious and everyday commodity.
The following magnificent fountains illustrate in a perfect way what you can do with water as well: blasting it into the sky, illuminating it with lights below the surface, and letting it flow over classical sculptures and architecture.
1. Banpo Moonlight Rainbow Show (Seoul)
The Banpo Bridge with its illuminated water curtains to both sides is the world’s longest fountain on a bridge. Both sides of the bridge house pumps passing just shy of 200 cubic meter of water every minute.
The water comes from the Han River 20 meters below and is illuminated by LED lights before it falling back in the river.
2. Swarovski Head Crystal Fountain (Austria)
Marking the entrance to the Swarovski’s Crystal World in Innsbuck, Austria, this fountains has large crystals as eyes. The museum behind is quite special as well with it’s kaleidoscope-like composition.
3. Fountain of Bellagio (Las Vegas)
Maybe one of the best know fountains in the world is the Bellagio Fountain in Las Vegas. 39 engineers, everybody of them is a qualified scuba diver, maintain the fountain shooting water up to 24 stories in the air. Being worth 40 million dollar, it may be one of the most expensive as well.
4. The Fountain of Wealth (Singapore)
The largest fountain, according to Guiness World Records is situated in Singapore. Covering 1,683 square meters, the Fountain of Wealth, shoots water up to 13 meters high only.
5. Tap fountain (Menorca, Spain)
The floating tap appears to be hovering in mid air. On the the island of Menorca a glass tube inside the falling water supports the structure doubling as water pipe. Because of the clever construction with the glass hidden by the water it seems to be floating, hence the name.
6. Jet d’Eau (Geneva, Switzerland)
The “Jet d’Eau” or simply “Jet of Water” in Geneva, Switzerland, wasn’t intended to be a fountain but instead a relief valve in a municipal water pipeline. Situated originally in the middle of Lake Geneva it gathered so many spectators it was moved closer to shore and became a permanent attraction.
7. Crown Fountain (Chicago)
The Crown Fountain in Chicago is one of the more technical water structures. Using LEDs it displays pictures and even videos of Chicago’s residents on its two glass towers.
8. Dubai Fountain (United Arab Emirates)
In Dubai one of the best known fountains sits directly in front of Burj Khalifa featuring ‘a lot of’ jets. Being able to shoot water to 50 stories high it dwarfs even the Bellagio fountain in Vegas.
9. Aquanura, Efteling (Netherlands)
In the Netherlands at Efteling theme park there is a fountain called Aquanura. It was built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the park in 2012 and displays a fantastic light show at night.
10. Scioto Mile Fountain (Ohio)
Scioto Fountain in Columbus, Ohio is featuring structures made of stainless-steel. 1,100 fog nozzles are placed in the five halo structures, creating a beautiful mist.
11. Lotte World Musical Fountain (South Korea)
In South Korea, the world’s tallest indoor fountain gathers up to 20,000 visitors per day. It was built inside Lotte Department Store in Busan and plays music as well.
12. Longwood Garden (Pennsylvania)
The different pools in Longwood Gardens, situated in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, are housing a total of 380 nozzles to shoot water in the air. This is achieved by 18 pumps, propelling the water in the pipes below.
13. Kanazawa Fountain Clock (Japan)
Another quite technical fountain is the Kanazawa Fountain Clock. This is in fact a series of small fountains on a dark surface. By operating each nozzle individually it can display numbers and letters, even in different languages.
14. Stravinsky Fountain (Paris)
16 free-to-move sculptures inspired by the work of Igor Stravinsky make the centerpiece for the Stravinsky Fountain just outside the famous “Centre Pompidou” in Paris.
15. Turning Heads Fountain (Walnut Greek)
This half submerged skull in Walnut Greek, California, symbolizes birth, rebirth, wisdom and community. Titeled the Turning Heads Fountain it’s name is absolutely suitable.
