Uman National University | today: 06/27/2025
| Author(s) | Кадуріна А. О., , , | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | The Agronomy | ||
| year | 2025 | issue | Issue 106 Part 1 |
| pages | 388-396 | index UDK | 721.03 | DOI | 10.32782/2415-8240-2025-106-1-388-396 (Link) |
| Abstract | Fountains of Odessa are an integral part of its architectural and cultural heritage. Their history is closely intertwined with the development of the city, and the symbolism of the fountains reflects both the aesthetic tastes of their time and the peculiarities of the Odessa spirit. At the beginning of its foundation, Odessa lacked water, and it was very expensive. The creation of a water supply system and the first fountains in the city were the most important events in the lives of the townspeople. By functional purpose, fountains are: decorative, architectural, engineering and technical, play and drinking. Historical fountains of Odessa constantly changed their purpose: from engineering and technical to architectural and decorative. In the first years of Odessa's existence, farmsteads called Small, Medium and Large Fountains sprang up around fresh water sources. In 1853, the first water supply system by T. A. Kovalevsky with a water tower was built. In 1873, the opening of the water supply system proposed by V. Shvaben and J. Moor took place, connecting the Dniester River with Odessa, and the first fountain in the city was opened. The architectural and artistic decor and symbolism of Odessa fountains in the 19th – early 20th centuries were of the following nature: - the first fountain on Sobornaya Square: a bowl is a symbol of preservation, dolphins are – of the sea element, a boy is the personification of innocence and purity; - in the reconstruction of the first fountain, in the design of fountains on Privokzalnaya Square and Palais Royale: a rock is a symbol of stability, reliability, the original Self in a person; - in the fountain in the City Garden and in the "Filatov Vase": a flower is a symbol of beauty, the transience of life and hope, a bowl is a symbol of preserving this beauty and the main value of Odessa - water; - in the fountain "Boy with a Fish": a boy is a symbol of purity, a fish is a symbol of the riches of the sea element; - in the fountain "Youth": children are a symbol of joy and innocence, a frog is a symbol of renewal; - water in all fountains is a symbol of purification, renewal, life itself. If you look at the symbolism of the fountains of the XIX – early XX century in Odessa, they are all united by the theme of beauty, purification, renewal and a kind of transformation, and at the same time, stability and tranquility. Water in Odessa was and remains the main asset of the city. And Odessa fountains have become a kind of symbol of optimism and fortitude, understanding that everything in life is fleeting, that all the hardships in life pass, like water runs away. And the main human values remain, which should be preserved from century to century – spiritual purity, strength of spirit and the ability to enjoy life. | ||
| Key words | fountains, water supply, parks, squares, Odessa, history, symbolism | ||