Located in the heart of Florence, Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, also known as the Loggia del Porcellino, is a historical Florentine building. This building is considered to be National Artistic Heritage as it appears in the list made in 1901 by the Directorate General of Accademia delle Belle Arti.
Let’s explore Loggia del Mercato Nuovo and its infamous Fontana del Porcellino!
The History of Loggia del Mercato Nuovo: a marketplace near Ponte Vecchio
Loggia del Mercato Nuovo was built in the middle of the XVI century near the infamous Ponte Vecchio as a marketplace where people would sell or buy silk and luxurious items.
As previously mentioned the Loggia was built between 1547 and 1551 and it was created thanks to the archduke Cosimo I de’ Medici and designed by Giovanni Battista del Tasso and later on worked on by Bernardo Buontalenti.
The building also underwent some restoration work in 1838, led by Paolo Veraci.
Nowadays Loggia del Mercato Nuovo is mainly used for stands that sell leather items and souvenirs for tourists.
Fontana del Porcellino: symbol of luck and tradition
One of the most interesting aspects of Loggia del Mercato Nuovo is the infamous Statua del Porcellino. It’s a fountain located on the side of the Loggia right in front of the Borsa Merci Palace. The one we see today though is not the original statue; it’s, in fact, a replica of the one made by Pietro Tacca in 1633, nowadays kept in the Stefano Bardini Museum. This replica was made in 1998 with a modern copy cast and created by Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry.
The infamous Fontana del Porcellino is the protagonist of many legends and traditions. One of the most famous ones is that rubbing the nose of the porcellino brings a lot of luck. Because of this, the nose of the statue is quite shiny!
Another interesting tradition is that if you put a coin in the mouth of the boar and make a wish, your desire will come true if the coin falls through the grate that the water flows in.
Exploring other Statues at Loggia del Mercato Nuovo
Wandering through Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, you will see many different statues. Here’s a list of some of the most important ones:
- THE STATUE OF BERNARDO CENNINI, made by Emilio Mancini (1890 -1892);
- THE STATUE OF MICHELE DI LANDO, made by Antonio Bortone (1895);
- THE STATUE OF GIOVANNI VILLANI, made by Gaetano Trentanove (1889 – 1892);
Conclusion
If you are visiting Florence, visiting Loggia del Mercato Nuovo is definitely a must. Make sure to buy some souvenirs for your loved ones back home and check out our other blogs if you want to get to know more about this majestic city and Italy in general!
