In the village of Igaküla on the island of Muhu stood the Suurkaev, the Great Well, also known as Suurkao. It is one of Estonia’s most famous wells. This impressive water source was brought to public attention by the renowned photographer Johannes Pääsuke in 1913.
Constructing wells in earlier times was a challenging and time-consuming task. Due to natural conditions, groundwater could lie deep beneath limestone layers, making it impossible for a single family to build a well. This led to the creation of communal village wells, which became central to village life. The old cluster villages of Muhu and Saaremaa were typically centred around such wells.
The exact age of the Great Well on Muhu is unknown. However, it was already located in its current spot by 1799, as it appears on a map from that time. The depth of the Igaküla well was reportedly 16 meters, and it continued to provide water to the villagers well into the early 20th century.
The idea of reconstructing the well for the Estonian Open Air Museum emerged as early as 1985. That year, the museum’s architect, Jüri Irik, designed the wooden structures of the well based on Johannes Pääsuke’s well-known photograph. A replica of the Suurkaev was finally completed in the spring of 2024 according to this plan.
The original well rims remain preserved in their initial location in Igaküla.
