5. The Beautiful Well

5. The Beautiful Well

The pearl of Nysa baroque was made by Wilhelm Helleweg, supervisor of the armoury and the Nysa mint. The decorative grille was made to protect the well against possible poisoning of the water by angry poisoners especially, because during the Thirty Years’ War in Silesia the rampaging Swedes sent their spies to poison town wells. At the time, the Nysa town council drafted two guards to watch it. This well was the main source of drinking water in the town, and was used until 1880. The grille, placed on a marble base from nearby Sławniowice, weighs 1600 kg and is completed with a two-headed Habsburg eagle.