The Beautiful Well in Nysa

The Beautiful Well in Nysa is one of the oldest and most valuable monuments in the city, considered a masterpiece of Baroque blacksmithing. It is located near the market square, at the beginning of Wrocławska Street. It is 7 meters deep and built of Sławniowice marble, adorned with an intricate iron grate rich in plant and animal motifs, including depictions of sea creatures. At the top of the well, a gilded double-headed Habsburg eagle was placed. The structure combines various styles, from Baroque and Renaissance to Gothic, making it an object of unique artistic value. Historically, the Beautiful Well was a key source of drinking water for the inhabitants of Nysa, especially during the Thirty Years' War when the Swedes attempted to poison the city's wells. Thanks to the residents who discovered an underground water vein, the well remained unpolluted and was protected by soldiers. After the war, efforts were made to improve the well's security, leading to its reconstruction under the leadership of Mayor Caspar Naas and craftsman Wilhelm Helleweg. The unveiling of the new well took place in 1686. For the next two hundred years, there was a lack of information about its condition until the 19th century, when it began to be mentioned in scientific literature. The use of the well as a source of drinking water ended in 1880 when the city's water supply system was launched, but it remains a beautiful ornament of Nysa. Despite numerous disasters and wars, the well has survived in good condition, undergoing several renovations, including the most recent one in 2000 when the golden eagle was restored to its top. Today, it no longer serves a practical function but attracts tourists who often toss a coin into its interior with a promise to return, and it is illuminated at night, highlighting its rich ornamentation. The Beautiful Well, a symbol of Nysa, still contrasts with the surrounding architecture from the 1960s, preserving its artistic and historical significance.