DID YOU KNOW?

Easter wells are colorful, traditional decorations in Germany and Franconian Switzerland.

The custom of Osterbrunnen, which started in the early 20th century, includes decorating public fountains and wells with Easter eggs. The tradition begins on Good Friday and continues until two weeks after Easter.

According to the Bavarian tourism site www.bavaria.by, before the wells are decorated, they are first cleaned in a ceremony known as “Brunnen fegen,” which loosely translates to “sweeping the well.” Once cleansed, the well is dressed and decorated.

The practice traces back to the belief in water...