Outdoor Gazebo

Outdoor Gazebo

Outdoor Gazebo Types
By David John Peterson - Ezinearticles

Gazebos are free standing structures typically placed in garden locations for decoration and as a center piece for special occasions and functions. They can be built in several different ways, in different sizes, and using a variety of materials, according to the needs and preferences of the person having them built. Their makeup differs by many degrees according to culture and purpose. Here are some different kinds of gazebos:

A kiosk is a very small three walled gazebo that nowadays is associated with the sale of small items in a high traffic shopping area, just as they were centuries ago. There are kiosks for almost anything small and portable, and some have things like information, maps, and computers for researching. The origin of the word, as well as the idea of selling things from these mini stores, is Turkish, where small buildings in marketplaces were used to sell wares. They used to be made of wood, but now can be made of any sturdy material.

The word belvedere is from the Italian meaning "pretty view." A belvedere is made for taking in the scenery, as with most gazebos. However, they are built higher up and are attached to a building for the best and most expanse view in a given area. Turrets on a castle are a kind of belvedere.

Pergolas are long gazebos that consist of an overhead archway supported by pillars. They are given "character" by the deliberately planted climbing plants growing around and about it. They are normally made of wrought iron, but can be made from vinyl, wood, or a combination of glass and stone, too.

Pagodas are layered tower structures generally found in Asian countries, and are used most often as religious temples. Although a type of gazebo, they are not as often used the same as traditional gazebos. They were made of wood, but have been made of steel and other more sturdy material. Because these structures were tall, they attracted lightning easily, and so were built with a spire that would both attract the lightning and keep it from striking other parts of the pagoda.

Rotundas are large gazebos that are circular in shape, and have a domed roof. They are of European origin and most of them are found there, specifically in Central Europe, although the style has been adopted in many places around the world. The dome on the White House and many state capitol buildings are examples of rotundas.

A pavilion is another gazebo, typically simple and relatively small in size, situated very close to a main structure. A garden pavilion may or may not be very close to a main building, and in fact can be pretty removed for other buildings, like in a picnic area of a park. Sometimes gazebos are quite large, even house sized, like a pool house, or palace sized.

Outdoor Gazebo

Follies are gazebos that are strictly for decoration. They are decorative and may be very intricate in detail. Some look as if they can be used for functions, parties, or even housing, but are, in fact, simply for visitor's viewing pleasure.