Make a Wish!

A symbol of hope and magic, wishing wells have long been believed to turn simple wishes into reality. Rooted in ancient legends, these sacred places are thought to bridge the gap between water and the divine. So, grab a coin and make a wish as Amatra Sejwal, AIS Saket, XI D, takes you on a journey to explore the world’s most iconic wishing wells.

Santa Cueva de Covadonga
Location: Picos de Europa mountains, Asturias, Northern Spain
Architects: Ventura Rodriguez, Roberto Frassinelli and Federico Aparici
Design: Neo-Romanesque architectural style emphasising harmony with the natural landscape.
Folklore: Any young girl who drinks its waters without stopping for breath will be married within a year. 
Water fact: Fed by a flow that emerges from the rocky wall of the cave and then falls into a basin through a replica of La Cruz de la Victoria.
Exclusive feature: A basilica – a place of worship and
pilgrimage for people seeking solace and healing.

Upwey wishing well
Location: Village of Upwey, Dorset, United Kingdom
Architect: Natural resource
Design: Victorian era style
Folklore: If one fills a glass, drinks part of it with ones back to the well, and then throws the remainder over the left shoulder back and make a wish then the wish comes true.
Water fact: Water is supplied from a natural spring which is also the source of the River Wey.
Exclusive feature: Water is so pure and clear that it is believed to have therapeutic and healing properties particularly for sore eyes.

The Fountains of Peterhof
Location: Peterhof Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia
Architects: N Michetti, M G Zemstov, FP Brouer, Jean-Baptiste Leblon, Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Design: Baroque-style cascades adorned with gilded statues and mythological motifs.
Folklore: Toss a coin in the Samson fountain and it showers good fortune upon you.
Water fact: Water supply comes from a system of underground pipelines which funnel water collected from rain overflows to feed up to one cubic foot of water per minute.
Exclusive feature: Consists of 140+ fountains featuring advanced hydraulic engineering as they are not supported by electricity or pumps but are powered by springs on the Ropsha Heights.

Qianqiu Pavilion
Location: Imperial Garden, The Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Architect: Kuai Xiang
Design: Meticulously planned, traditional Chinese architecture, with a serene wishing well in the inner court.
Folklore: Tossing a coin in the forbidden well, promises love and prosperity to the wish-maker.
Water fact: It has groundwater which is also used for firefighting, daily cleaning and gardening.
Exclusive feature: Earlier water was used for drinking but since the emperor Guangxu’s beloved concubine Zhen was drowned in the well, no one dares to drink it anymore.

Trevi Fountain
Location: Piazza di Trevi, Rome, Italy
Architects: Nicola Salvi, Giuseppe Pannini
Design: Iconography, featuring Oceanus surrounded by tritons and allegorical figures.
Folklore: Toss a coin in the fountain, and you will return to Rome.
Water fact: Discharges about 80,000 cubic metres of water everyday which is recycled for aesthetic purposes.
Exclusive feature: Approximately 3,000 EUR are collected daily through coins and donated to charity.