They Hit the Heights – Then REALLY Made it Big!
Jan 20th, 2010 by Kathy
So, where were we? Oh, yeah – talking about gazebos, of course. This is a subject about which one can never say enough (and I oughta know!). They originated as rooftop structures that would offer sweeping views of the surrounding landscape; and, apparently, they did that job well.
However, their more noteworthy accomplishment came years later, when people began building them on the ground. While others may have been washed-up after such a letdown, for gazebos, the curtain then rose on a spectacular second act. Performing under stage names that have commonly included summerhouses, screen houses, kiosks, pavilions, arbors, grottos, pergolas, and pagodas, they have played continuously for centuries, to thrilled audiences around the world.
To say that gazebos have enjoyed a long run would be an understatement. Although no one is certain of the precise date on which they made their debut, 5,000 years ago, they are known to have been playing the gardens of Egyptian royalty. There, they were so highly prized that many people had their gazebos depicted in their tombs, along with the other possessions that they wished to take with them to the next world.
Also crowd-pleasers in ancient Rome and Pompeii, gazebos were built along the Mediterranean, as summerhouses for the affluent and aristocratic, who furnished them richly. I guess that means that they had solid gold lounge chairs, porch swings, dining tables, accent tables, and sofas.
In the East, the gazebo was such a smash hit that it had to add a second floor. Indeed, in tenth-century Persian gardens, gazebos were elaborate, two-story structures, with cupolas, marble columns, and golden seats. Often, they were built across pools or streams, in order to be cooled by the water running beneath their marble floors (I guess they didn’t have ceiling fans back then).
China’s gazebos were quite ornate as well, while those in Japan were frequently called teahouses, and used for the sacred Tea Ceremonies.
Everywhere they went, gazebos were getting rave reviews; and they hadn’t even come to America yet (because it was still undiscovered, of course).
Perhaps we’ll have to explore this further in the future. I’m dying to see how they got their big break, and finally began playing in “The States.”
Yours Outdoors,
Kathy
