Historically, people like the Greeks have utilized urns as a means of transporting life-giving water to their homes. These urns, called hydrai, or hydria (singular), have been pivotally important since antiquity. The marriage of the urn to the importance of water is visually very powerful, as it imparts a sense of wealth and prosperity. Featured in a home, not only does the symbolism carry to the owner’s abode, but the more practical elements also hold true. The sound of coursing water is universally relaxing, offering a quiet, natural white noise to its environment. If you’re seeking a prominent central feature for your outdoor spaces, be it a garden, patio, or otherwise, an urn fountain can impart that new level of classic elegance that you’ve been missing out on.
Historically, fountains have been used in a myriad of ways, though when the Roman aqueducts began breaking down in the Middle Ages, many purely functional fountains went unused. Since antiquity, fountainworks have evolved into a wide variety of uses. Some remained as statuary, while others grew into landmark fountains, while the most basic and functional still remain today in the simple drinking water fountain and the monasterial lavabo. Fortunately, thanks to technology, we can still enjoy the beauty and artisan craftsmanship that goes into the creation of these functional art pieces without needing to necessarily draw water from them for survival.
Top 5 Large Urn Water Fountains
Tall Malmo Glazed Garden Fountain
When searching for urn water features for the garden, there’s a balance to be struck between stand-out beauty and subtle elegance. For a simple, elegant addition that combines classic implications with contemporary styling, the Tall Malmo Glazed Garden Fountain is a customizable piece that can demand attention as a focal point or integrate with foliage and other stonework as part of a whole aesthetic design. Hand-made of Glazed Terra Cotta, this outdoor vase water fountain will outlast traditional stone fountain works. Available in multiple finishes, the Tall Malmo Glazed Garden Fountain can be matched to local regional stone or pre-existing landscaping, or given an aged or weathered look. The recirculating pump is included, so no hunting required. This fountain sits at a modest 18.50" W x 24" H and weighs a only 77 pounds, ensuring that its excellent balance and superior quality will last many long and happy years.
Fountains make for beautiful accents and add a lovely ambiance to whatever space they are placed in, but if you’re looking for a striking centerpiece that will grab and hold attention, the Elegant Urn Zen Three Bowl Fountain is an exquisite demand. The urns in multiple sizes are supported and accentuated by simple platforms, giving the central focus to the water-bearing vases. This is a relatively light fountain weighing in at only 390 pounds. It is made from cast stone and available in twenty-four (24!) different colors, this fountain will appear as if it has been there since the beginning, integrating with your existing environment with ease. The recirculating pump is included, so once installed and filled, you’re ready to start enjoying this beautiful piece.
Chambers Outdoor Fountain with Quatrefoil Basin
While the water-bearing urn carries with it a deep and rich history, the Chambers Outdoor Fountain stands tall and proud, carrying flowers, cascading foliage, or whatever plant life you wish, over the four streams of water that spill into an elegant quatrefoil basin. Made of cast stone in a multitude of finishes and beautifully detailed, it is guaranteed to stand out among the rest. This is more than just a simple flower pot water fountain. The Chambers Outdoor Fountain provides a stately platform that offers the soothing sound of splashing water, the scent of fresh, blooming flowers, and a strong, established figure that is sure to take center stage wherever you choose to feature it. Standing at an impressive 74"H x 70"W, this piece weighs 1484 pounds, and includes the electric recirculation pump.
The Shimmering Stones design is a statement piece the features a round, ground level basin. The urn-like column is adorned with smooth stones that are sure to catch your eye. Water bubbles from the top of the column and rains down the sides into a rippling pool at the basin. It wets the stones as it pours down which causes the stones to glisten in the light. It is simple and clean, which creates an excellent centerpiece and focal point for your outdoor design. You can choose from 24 different finishes to match your pre-existing arrangements or go bold and feature a burst of unique color that is sure to grab visitors' attention. With a 36” base and reaching 36" high, the Shimmering Stones Fountain is at a positively peppy 526 pounds and, of course, includes the proper recirculating water pump.
Navonna Outdoor Water Fountain
Last, but definitely not least, the Navonna Outdoor Water Fountain combines what I believe to be the most attractive features of all the fountains on this list into one absolutely stunning package. The streams of water springing free of the chalice design cast elegantly into the quatrefoil basin, guaranteeing a filling sound for your space, while the chalice basin itself features a bubbling fountain so no little detail goes to waste. Impressive but not overpowering, the base is 56.5” square, and the chalice piece stands 39” high, and is crafted expertly from cast stone, so you know it will last years. This piece also features an optional auto-fill system that you need only connect to a garden hose, and the regulator will take care of the rest.With fiber reinforced cast stone concrete construction, this fountain is proudly made in the United States of America and comes in twelve different color options that are applied carefully and made to weather and age naturally and gracefully. There’s no wrong way to go with this 946 pound functional art piece.