What Is The Gazebo?
¿Qué es el Gazebo?
A gazebo is a small building with open sides. It is a freestanding, open garden structure, sometimes hexagonal or octagonal in shape, with a roof in an outdoor area such as a private garden or public park. Gazebos are often put up in gardens so that people can sit in them to enjoy the view.
Various materials can be used in the construction of garden pavilions. Most gazebos are constructed of wood, metal, or stone and have built-in seating inside the sheltered area. To add a sense of enclosure and privacy, latticework or outdoor curtains or drapes are sometimes used. In a garden setting, a gazebo can serve as a focal point — something to be viewed and appreciated — or situated in a location on a property (like a hill) that offers views while providing shelter from the sun. Garden pavilions were traditionally placed at points that dominate the landscape.
Gazebos are similar to pavilions, pergolas, summer houses, and bandstands in terms of very basic functionality. Gazebo-like structures have been built for centuries. The Egyptians built garden arbors to support grapes for wine and raisins and to provide shelter like a gazebo. At this time, such structures were primarily functional rather than decorative.
History of Gazebo
It is believed that the first gazebos were built by the Egyptians approximately 5,000 years ago. Built near water, these early private structures were used to support the growth of vines and decorative and edible plants. Other ancient civilizations (such as the Persians, Greeks, and Romans) used gazebos to conduct business or relax in public gardens.
The name is an 18th-century joke word combining “gaze” with the Latin suffix “ebo”, meaning “I shall.” As a structured form, it is as old as garden history: it is the “viewing pavilion” of the Chinese or the summerhouse on the summit of a garden mount referred to by the 17th-century philosopher Francis Bacon. The word gazebo was used in a book by John and William Halfpenny; ‘Rural Architecture in the Chinese Taste,’ published in the mid-18th century. In the Middle Ages, gazebos became popular in Europe. In the 17th and 18th centuries, they were incorporated into gardens as exotic viewing structures — which allegedly serves as the background for their name.
In England, garden pavilions were built in many parks during the Victorian era, some of which were large enough for a small orchestra to fit in. Garden gazebos became popular in England during the 16th through 18th centuries and could be found in parks or large private estates. In the 19th century, gazebos were built for middle-class properties and also became more functional as a shelter rather than a decorative architectural feature in the landscape. The English practice of afternoon tea was enjoyed in gazebos or similar structures.
Gazebos can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome. The Greeks built temples in public spaces that were surrounded by gardens, with marble gazebos in memory of gods and goddesses.
The Romans enjoyed their private gardens as places to relax and entertain. Garden gazebos were constructed as a beautiful outdoor feature and as a gathering place.
Medieval and Renaissance period while gazebos do attract attention, they also were, and still are, built to offer privacy. Elaborate gardens at churches and monasteries used gazebos as places for meditation or to establish a shrine. In Medieval and Renaissance Europe, these sanctuaries were built in more far-off areas of large estates. A gazebo would serve as a destination to which the lord of the manor and his guests would journey outside for fresh air while still under a roof.
Tea houses or teahouses are other forms of gazebo that have been popular in China and Japan for centuries. Tea ceremonies are a time of rest, meditation, and reflection while enjoying one another’s company and admiring the beautiful surroundings of nature.
A structure resembling a gazebo, found in villages in the Maldives, is known as a “holhuashi”. Depending on the region or culture, a gazebo might also be referred to as an “alhambra, belvedere, kiosk, pagoda, pavilion, pergola, rotunda, shed, summerhouse, or tea house”.
The Gazebo Design Considerations
Adding a gazebo to your outdoor space should be carefully thought out because it can often look contrived and awkward or out of place. When planning any garden structure, try to incorporate architectural elements or features of your house for harmony and continuity. Also be aware of design considerations such as:
Scale and proportion: Does the size and shape of the proposed gazebo fit in your yard so that it’s neither too big nor too small for the location?
Style: Does it blend with your house and other structures on the property?
Materials: Are materials like stone, wood, and iron used elsewhere on the exterior of your house?
Location: A gazebo might be a destination, an escape, or be a place that frames a beautiful view.
Additional hardscape features, like paths or walls: Do the materials and shapes echo those used in other parts of the yard or exterior of the home.
The Differences Between Pergolas and Gazebos
Pergolas and gazebos have long been adding style and shelter to outdoor spaces, but which is right for your yard or garden?
Many of us like to spend as much time outdoors as possible, we should spend more time outdoor. Just twenty minutes in nature has been shown to improve mental and physical health. Time spent outdoors can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, slow heart rate, and boost your mood. Whether you spend time in your yard, a neighborhood park, or an exotic beach, you’ll reap the positive impact of being outside.
The roof design is the key difference between a pergola and a gazebo. There is one defining aspect of whether an outdoor structure is a pergola or a gazebo that just about everyone agrees on the roof structure.
You can want to create a private place in your garden or backyard to establish a cozy hideaway on a smaller lot, add a pergola or overhead roof to your gazebo, paving, and a path leading to the area. For added privacy, create walls with lattice panels on the sides, and plant vines to grow up and over the framework. It will be a sincere environment on your own property.
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