GAZEBO

A 'gazebo' is a pavilion structure commonly found in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, basic shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest. In their original use—the word appears in English in 1752— they were sited to take advantage of a view, so much so that among the false etymologies for ''gazebo'' are ''Que c'est beau'' (French: "How beautiful") and the Macaronic Latin ''gazebo'' ("I shall gaze").
Earlier examples of garden pavilions that have survived were more solidly built, though open to views. Pavilions that a later generation might have termed gazebos are the garden houses at Montacute House.
Some gazebos in public parks are large enough to serve as bandstands.
Gazebos are sometimes equipped with screen sides to ward off flying insects and may be constructed from various materials. Some tent-style gazebos use no traditional building materials at all, relying only on poles and tensioned fabric, usually nylon. While they offer little protection from the elements, they provide shade along with largely unobstructed views and have recently gained popularity due to growing concerns about mosquito-carried West Nile virus.

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Gallery

See also

Gallery

See also

★ Bandstand

★ Belvedere

★ Kiosk

★ Pavilion

★ Folly