Sunday, November 30, 2025

Offbeat Italia

Il giornale italiano di storie insolite

Insolita cultura

The shower, drops of history and Italy always the protagonist.

Piva

The story of the shower in pictures

The shower, a rain of history that has made us better, an essential invention. Let's discover it together.
The shower, a rain of history that has made us better, an essential invention. Let's discover it together.
The invention of the shower was a revolution for mankind: it improved our personal hygiene and allows us to live longer, avoiding diseases.
The invention of the shower was a revolution for mankind: it improved our personal hygiene and allows us to live longer, avoiding diseases.
The shower was invented by the French surgeon Francois Merry Delabost in 1872. The shower was used to ensure cleanliness among prisoners. A series of cabins were connected to a hydraulic system by a pipe. Later, "mass showers" would also be introduced for military use and at beach resorts.
The shower was invented by the French surgeon Francois Merry Delabost in 1872. The shower was used to ensure cleanliness among prisoners. A series of cabins were connected to a hydraulic system by a pipe. Later, "mass showers" would also be introduced for military use and at beach resorts.
At the beginning of history, our ancestors washed themselves in rivers, lakes, under waterfalls and in streams.
At the beginning of history, our ancestors washed themselves in rivers, lakes, under waterfalls and in streams.
The Egyptians developed the concept of a tub, which was then taken up by the Greeks and Romans who made it a real fashion; a fashion for the nobles and the rich. The world was almost ready for the shower. The aim was to eliminate the accumulation of stagnant liquid for a flow of clean, running water.
The Egyptians developed the concept of a tub, which was then taken up by the Greeks and Romans who made it a real fashion; a fashion for the nobles and the rich. The world was almost ready for the shower. The aim was to eliminate the accumulation of stagnant liquid for a flow of clean, running water.
That's how the Greeks developed and used a basket through which water was filtered. This system was designed to promote cleanliness among athletes.
That's how the Greeks developed and used a basket through which water was filtered. This system was designed to promote cleanliness among athletes.
In 1676, William Feetham, an English stove maker, came up with a semi-open cabin with curtains and handles, in which water was poured from above "like rain."
In 1676, William Feetham, an English stove maker, came up with a semi-open cabin with curtains and handles, in which water was poured from above "like rain."
The shower boom occurred after World War II. Very high, narrow buildings were being built, the apartment buildings, and there was a need to reduce the space in bathrooms. Thus, the tub lost ground, with the shower taking center stage. In short, the shower became bourgeois in residential neighborhoods.
The shower boom occurred after World War II. Very high, narrow buildings were being built, the apartment buildings, and there was a need to reduce the space in bathrooms. Thus, the tub lost ground, with the shower taking center stage. In short, the shower became bourgeois in residential neighborhoods.
In 1968, Roy Jacuzzi invented the Jacuzzi, which was also applied to showers, evolving them. There is always the hand of Italianness. The Jacuzzi company was founded in 1915 by Italian immigrants. 🇮🇹
In 1968, Roy Jacuzzi invented the Jacuzzi, which was also applied to showers, evolving them. There is always the hand of Italianness. The Jacuzzi company was founded in 1915 by Italian immigrants. 🇮🇹
Today, the bathroom is a luxury and the shower has become practical and eco-friendly. A shower uses 15 liters of water per minute while a bathtub uses 150 liters.
Today, the bathroom is a luxury and the shower has become practical and eco-friendly. A shower uses 15 liters of water per minute while a bathtub uses 150 liters.
Today, the most modern showers also offer sensory or emotional experiences, involving the sense of smell, color, hearing and are programmable thanks to hi-tech evolutions such as apps installed on our smartphones.
Today, the most modern showers also offer sensory or emotional experiences, involving the sense of smell, color, hearing and are programmable thanks to hi-tech evolutions such as apps installed on our smartphones.
Now I want to know your opinion. The eternal struggle between the bathtub and the shower. Which do you prefer? Let me know but don't forget to turn off the faucet.
Now I want to know your opinion. The eternal struggle between the bathtub and the shower. Which do you prefer? Let me know but don't forget to turn off the faucet.

🇮🇹 La storia della doccia

Ascolta il Podcast 🎧

La doccia, una pioggia di storia che ci ha resi migliori, un’invenzione indispensabile. Scopriamola assieme.

L’invenzione della doccia è stata una rivoluzione per l’uomo: ha migliorato la nostra igiene personale e ci consente di vivere più a lungo, evitando le malattie.

La doccia venne inventata dal chirurgo francese Francois Merry Delabost nel 1872. La doccia serviva per garantire la pulizia tra i carcerati. Una serie di cabine erano collegate ad un impianto idraulico da un tubo. Successivamente le “docce di massa” verranno introdotte anche per uso militare e negli stabilimenti balneari.

All’inizio della storia, i nostri antenati si lavavano nei fiumi, nei laghi, sotto le cascate e nei corsi d’acqua.

Gli egizi elaborarono il concetto di vasca, poi ripreso dai greci e dei latini che ne fecero una vera e propria moda; una moda per nobili e per ricchi. Il mondo era quasi pronto per la doccia. Si voleva eliminare l’accumulo stagnante di liquido per un flusso di acqua pulito e corrente.

Ecco che I greci elaborarono ed adoperarono un cesto da cui veniva filtrata dell’acqua. Questo sistema era concepito per favorire la pulizia tra gli sportivi.

 

Nel 1676 William Feetham, un produttore di stufe inglesi, ideò un cabinato semi – aperto, dotato di tendine e manopole, in cui l’acqua, veniva versata dall’alto “a pioggia”.

Il boom della doccia si ebbe dal secondo dopoguerra. Venivano costruiti edifici molto alti e stretti, i condomini e si aveva la necessitĂ  di ridurre lo spazio dei bagni. Ecco come la vasca perderĂ  terreno, facendo passare in primo piano la doccia. Insomma, la doccia diventerĂ  borghese nei quartieri residenziali.

Nel 1968 Roy Jacuzzi, inventò l’idromassaggio che venne applicato anche alle docce, evolvendole. C’è sempre la mano dell’italianità. L’azienda Jacuzzi venne fondata nel 1915 da emigranti italiani.

Oggi il bagno è un lusso e la doccia è diventata pratica ed eco friendly. Una doccia utilizza 15 litri di acqua al minuto mentre una vasca da bagno ne occorrono 150.

Oggi, le docce più moderne propongono anche esperienze sensoriali od emozionali, coinvolgendo l’olfatto, il colore, l’udito e sono programmabili grazie all’evoluzioni hi-tech come le app installate sui nostri smartphone.

Emanuele Piva

You May Also Like

I GIORNI DELLA MERLA

Piva

LE TECNICHE DI MEMORIZZAZIONE PER STUDIARE

Piva

La chiave del Conclave

Piva

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Consent Management Platform by Real Cookie Banner