Porcellino Religious Site

Address: Mercato Nuovo (Loggia del Mercato Nuovo), Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Website: https://www.comune.fi.it/

Hours: Public sculpture - accessible 24 hours

Admission: Free

A small bronze fountain depicting a wild boar known as Il Porcellino located at the Mercato Nuovo (the “New Market”) in Florence. The statue dates to the early 17th century and is a well-known city symbol.

The statue is a cast of a celebrated bronzework created in the early 1600s and installed at the market loggia, where it has become a long-standing local landmark and tourist attraction. Over time the bronze has been cleaned and conserved to protect it from wear and vandalism.

Sited beneath the loggia of the Mercato Nuovo in central Florence, within walking distance of the Duomo and the River Arno; it sits in the historic commercial quarter of the city.

• Good-luck ritual: The bronze’s snout is polished bright from visitors rubbing it for good luck; many people also drop a coin into the boar’s mouth so it falls through the grate.
• Best time to visit: Located under the loggia of the Mercato Nuovo, it is easiest to photograph early in the morning before market crowds and tour groups arrive.

On foot from Florence Cathedral (Duomo) - about a 5-10 minute walk north along Via de’ Cerretani and Via dei Pecori. The Mercato Nuovo sits between Via Calzaiuoli and Via de’ Calzaiuoli; nearest major point is Piazza San Giovanni. Accessible by multiple city bus routes; no admission fee.

• Approach Il Porcellino early in the morning to avoid tour groups and to see the coin ritual performed by locals.
• Try the nearby leather‑workers' shops in Mercato Nuovo for a less touristy shopping experience.
• If photographing, frame the fountain with the loggia openings to capture the rhythm of Florentine stonework.