On a cobblestone square in modern-day Nazareth, a stone fountain stands on the site of a well that holds great significance in the Bible.
Mary’s Well is a religious landmark located in the heart of downtown Nazareth. The villagers of Nazareth and their animals used Mary’s Well as a watering hole from time immemorial until the 19th century. Today’s fountain is a symbolic reconstruction built in 2000 as part of the city’s millennium celebrations. Water no longer runs from the fountain however, it remains a place visited by those interested in biblical events.
According to the Greek Orthodoxy, this is the site of the Annunciation. Their tradition states that the Archangel Gabriel visited Mary when she came to collect water. Startled by the angel, Mary took refuge at her believed home inside today’s Basilica of the Annunciation. At the church Gabriel delivered his message that Mary would bear the son of god.
The well is a stone structure with a slanted roof. On one side is an archway that has three troughs protruding from its wall and a picture of the Virgin Mary. At the rear it is possible to view the well’s original water canals. These carried water from the spring’s source at the nearby Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation.
Adjacent to the well is the Ancient Bath House of Nazareth, another landmark associated with the city’s Roman period and an alleged bathing place of the Virgin Mary. Guided tours explore the excavated ruins of the bath house, discovered by a shopkeeper while renovating his property, and displays of antique coins and ceramics. The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is about a minute’s walk to the north. See the spring that supplied the well and admire an impressive collection of frescoes.
You can visit Mary’s Well at any time during the day, although daylight hours are best if you want to take photos. Get here via public bus or walk for 10 minutes from the center of the Old City.
