The original marble boar that inspired the fountain was discovered in Rome in the mid-16th century.
The bronze snout of the statue is significantly worn down and shiny due to the friction of millions of hands rubbing it over the centuries.
Pietro Tacca, the sculptor, was a pupil of Giambologna, one of the most significant figures in Mannerist sculpture.
The coins collected from the grate are traditionally donated to the Opera della Divina Misericordia, a local charity.
The sculpture is technically a copy; the authentic 1634 bronze was moved to the Museo Stefano Bardini to preserve it from environmental damage.
Similar casts of this specific boar sculpture exist globally, including in Munich, Sydney, and Greenville, South Carolina.
The Fontana del Porcellino is a bronze fountain in Florence depicting a wild boar, situated under the loggia of the Mercato Nuovo. Pietro Tacca cast the sculpture in 1634, based on an earlier marble Roman version currently held in the Uffizi Gallery. The fountain is famous for a ritual where visitors place a coin in the boar's mouth and rub its snout for good luck. The water flowing from the mouth falls into a bronze grate designed to collect the dropped coins. The Mercato Nuovo, where the fountain resides, is an open-air Renaissance loggia historically used for the silk and gold trades. The original bronze sculpture is kept safe in a museum to prevent wear, with the public-facing fountain being a high-quality cast. The surrounding square is known for traditional leather vendors and textile stalls.
From a low angle, capturing the boar's snout and the surrounding historic arches of the Mercato Nuovo.
Place your coin firmly in the boar's jaw so it falls directly through the grate, which is considered the requirement for the wish to come true.
Visit during the early morning to avoid the queue of tourists waiting to rub the statue's snout.
Look up at the ceiling of the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo to see the 'Stone of Scandal', a circular marble slab where bankrupt merchants were historically punished.
Do not attempt to climb or sit on the bronze sculpture, as it is a protected historic artifact.
