La Grand Puit (The Big Well), Carcassonne

Carcassonne has 22 wells. But the most intriguing is le Grand Puit, The big well. This is the oldest and the most mysterious. The borders of the well date from the 14th century. The columns and fittings are Renaissance.

There is a legend of hidden treasure. The Visigoths, frightened by the approach of Attila, secreted the treasure of King Solomon in the big well. From time to time someone looks in but so far no treasure. Maybe Attila got it after all. Also this begs the question, how did the Visigoths get Solomon's treasure?

The wells of Carcassonne are siege wells often found in fortified towns or fortresses. They are usually very deep and of enormous capacity. Since the wells were always within strong walls, they could not be poisoned or otherwise destroyed by an enemy. The wells were very pricey to install. The cost could rival the cost of the castle.

The oldest well in Carcassonne is 131 feet deep. The mouth of the well measures 13 feet across. With all the tales of ghosts of crusaders and Visigoths and treasure it sometimes is a temptation to look over the edge.