Rani Ki Vav is one of the most famous wells in India. It was built in the 11th century in the city of Patan (Gujarat state) on the banks of the Saraswati River by order of Queen Udayamati in memory of her late husband. Over time, the well silted up, archaeologists were able to fully restore it only in the late 1980s, surprised to find that the architectural masterpiece has survived intact.
The first wells appeared in India in the 3rd century BC, the reason for their distribution is the arid climate. Initially, they dug a primitive hole in the sandy soil where underground waters accumulated, later they began to turn the reservoirs into real historical monuments. Rani-ki-vav was built at a time when the skill of Indian architects reached its zenith. The style of creating multi-tiered stepped wells is called Maru-Gurjara.
The name Rani-ki-vav means "the well of the queen's steps". The structure has the shape of an inverted cone, the staircase is conventionally divided into seven parts, each of which is decorated with sculptures. There are more than 500 large and 1000 small sculptures in total. The water tank is located at a depth of 23 meters.
Under the last step, descending to the water, there is a tunnel, the length of which is 30 km. It leads to the city of Sidhpur, located next to Patan. This secret passage was built to evacuate the king in case of war, now the passage is barricaded with stones.
Promotional video:
In the 13th century, as a result of a strong earthquake, the Sarasvati River ceased to exist, and the well remained under the rubble for seven centuries. Archaeologists found Rani-ki-wav less than 30 years ago, on June 22, 2014, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.