Thursday, December 15, 2011

7 Romantic Wishing Wells from Around the World

Most coins thrown into a wishing well or fountain are tokens of the desire for love, so it’s no wonder that some of the world’s most famous are also the most romantic. Here are some of the most romance-inspiring wishing wells from around the world.

  1. Upwey Wishing Well – The Upwey Wishing Well in Dorset, England has been a tourist destination for generations. The lush gardens and tea rooms create an intensely romantic setting, with the nearby thirteenth-century Church of St. Laurence bringing thoughts of a destination wedding to mind. The waters are also thought to have healing properties, which might be a bonus for lovesick visitors.
  2. The Forbidden City – The beautiful architecture and sweeping grandeur of Beijing’s Forbidden City make it a great destination for romantic travel. Inside the scenic Qianqiu Pavillion is a wishing well where visitors frequently visit to wish for love and prosperity.
  3. Trevi Fountain – Few cities are as inextricably linked to the idea of love as Rome. In addition to the many romantic attractions that the city has to offer, the legendary Trevi Fountain is a destination for those with wishes from all around the globe. Local lore says that a coin tossed over your shoulder with your back to the fountain will come true; a wish for love is sure to be granted in this romantic setting.
  4. Cinderella Wishing Well – The Cinderella Wishing Well in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Florida is one of the most popular attractions in the entire park for lovers to have their picture taken and make a romantic wish. After all, isn’t The Happiest Place on Earth one of the few places where dreams really do come true?
  5. Wishing Well on Lion Rock – The Wishing Well on Lion Rock at the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong is a popular wedding destination, said to grant wishes for those who complete the Kau Cim ritual. Lovers can also have their fortunes read at the site, and take a romantic stroll through the Good Wish Garden.
  6. Covadonga Wishing Well – The Covandonga Sanctuary and Holy Cave in Spain is shrouded in myth and legends; the mysterious and romantic setting paired with the rich history of the site make it a must-see destination for traveling lovers. Legend claims that coins dropped into the lake below the cave can make wishes come true.
  7. Snow White Wishing Well – The sister of the Cinderella Wishing Well in Florida, Disneyland California’s Snow White Wishing Well is a popular site for West Coast lovers. Those who are wishing for love to find them can’t help but think of Snow White’s iconic “Someday My Prince Will Come” as they drop their coins into the well and hope for a fairytale romance of their own.

Many ancient cultures associated water with the divine and began dropping coins into wells as an offering to the deities that listened to their pleas. Celtic and Germanic tribes marked wells with the likeness of specific deities believed to control a particular water source, while the Norse regarded the well as a symbolic source of wisdom and understanding related to Odin. Today’s wishing wells are rarely associated with a specific spirit or deity, but the practice of making wishes by dropping a coin into a well or fountain is still popular with lovers and the lovelorn alike.

Taken From Top Dating Sites

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