The Porcellino Fountain (Fontana del Porcellino) - Florence, Italy
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neoc1
N 43° 46.201 E 011° 15.258
32T E 681435 N 4848799
Il Porcellino (The Piglet") is the local nickname for the bronze fountain of a boar. A copy of this fountain is located at the Mercato del Porcellino (a.k.a. Loggia del Porcellino), Via Val di Lamona, Florence, Italy.
Waymark Code: WMV83X
Location: Toscana, Italy
Date Posted: 03/12/2017
Views: 8
Il Porcellino, is a bronze statue of a wild boar. The original statue was created by Pietro Tacca in 1633. It was inspired by an ancient Hellenistic marble sculpture of a boar. In 1999 the original was moved to the Stefano Bardini Museum at Via dei Renai and replaced by this copy that is located at the Mercato del Porcellino.
Water continuously flows from the mouth of the sculpture into a kidney shaped pool and through a grating. Visitors are encouraged to place a coin into the mouth of the boar and have it fall through the grate. Legend says that if you rub the snout of the boar you will ensure a return visit to Florence. Hence the shine on the snout.
A sign below the Il Porcellino reveals the all coins collected will be used to benefit the activities of the Opera del Grappa's charities.