The Bellagio Fountains of Las Vegas are arguably the most famous fountains in the United States. These world-renowned fountains are located on a vast, manmade lake in front of the Las Vegas Bellagio Hotel. Popular performances take place each night in front of the Bellagio, and they can be viewed from many different points along the Las Vegas Strip. In the afternoons, the shows take place at 30 minute intervals and at 15 minute intervals from 8 pm until 12 am. Two minutes prior to a show, the lights that illuminate the Bellagio Hotel will change to red, white, and blue or purple – depending on the particular music that’s playing. It’s not uncommon for additional shows to play for special occasions, like weddings.
What makes the performances of the Bellagio Fountains so special is how intricately they are choreographed, and the shows are choreographed to a wide variety of different music. Some of the more well-known pieces of music used in the shows include “My Heart Will Go On”, “God Bless the USA”, and “Viva Las Vegas”.
The lake where the fountains reside measures approximately 8 acres in size. The water in the lake is provided by a fresh water well that was dug decades ago for the purpose of irrigating a golf course that used to be on the property where the hotel is now built. The lake and the fountains use far less water than irrigating the golf course did. The fountains are powered by a system of pipes and more than 1,200 nozzles, which are what make it possible for the fountain displays to be put on in conjunction with more than 4,000 lights. During construction, the fountain cost slightly more than $40 million to build, and it was designed and built by WET. WET is a design firm that specializes in the creation and construction of architectural water features and innovative fountains.
The Bellagio Fountains employ four specific types of nozzles to create the different effects seen during a show:
- Extreme Shooters – There are 16 Extreme Shooters, which are capable of sending jets of water over 450 feet in the air.
- Super Shooters – The Fountains feature 192 Super Shooters, which can blast water as high as 260 feet in the air.
- Shooters – The Shooters send water upwards in jets, which reach varying heights. The Fountains boast 798 Shooters in total.
- Oarsmen – These nozzles are so called because they have a wide range of spherical motions. There are 208 Oarsmen altogether.
The Bellagio Fountains are a work of art in and of themselves, but the complex and intricate designs created to build this masterpiece are truly astonishing. Their design is often emulated by other design firms, but it can never be truly replicated.
If you ever happen to visit Las Vegas, you are strongly encouraged to check out one of the Bellagio Fountains’ water shows.