Jesuits' Well, Historical water well in Guarapari, Brazil

Jesuits' Well is a historical water well in Guarapari built using colonial stone masonry techniques and situated near the coast. The structure is protected by barriers that surround it and displays the construction methods missionaries used for their water supply system.

Built probably in 1585, the well supplied the Jesuit and indigenous village of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, founded by José de Anchieta, who likely helped build the region's wells. A provincial government report of 1859 noted residents still drew water there and proposed a fountain for Guarapari. The well is now under state heritage review.

The well reflects how Jesuits managed water resources in this coastal settlement and remains a visible reminder of their presence in Brazil. Local people and visitors see it as a marker of early European settlement and the practical ways colonists adapted to their environment.

The well sits on the slope of Morro do Atalaia, at Praia da Fonte in central Guarapari, a short walk from the shore. There are no guided tours or set visiting hours; the site is an open roadside landmark cared for mainly by neighbouring residents, who have organised clean-ups and replanting of the surroundings, as in 2013. Access depends on the informal path and the vacant land around it, which local groups have campaigned to keep free of new construction.

It is the only one of the several wells the Jesuits built in the 16th century that still survives. Its dome-shaped basin is about 40 cm deep, made of stacked stones bound with mortar of sand, crushed shells, clay and whale or vegetable oil.