Loggia Mercato Nuovo in Florence

Mercato Nuovo is a covered market located in the historic center of Florence. Loggia in Italian is something like a stone canopy with arches and aerial colonnades.
The loggia was built in the 16th century to protect merchants from the elements. It was named Mercato Nuovo (New Market) to distinguish it from the now demolished Mercato Vecchio (Old Market), which was built in the 14th century on the site of what is now Republic Square.
Inside, in semi-enclosed halls, merchants sold various luxury items such as silk and gold. At the end of the 19th century it became the Straw Market, today the market is still known by this name, although most vendors now sell tourist souvenirs, leather goods and T-shirts instead of straw. The Florentines also call this market "Mercato del Vepr", or Piglet Market, because of the boar statue that can be found here.
Fountain Vepr - a small fountain with a 17th century boar statue. The bronze statue is a replica of a Roman statue, which in turn was a replica of a Greek statue. Legend has it that anyone who rubs - the face of a wild boar will return to Florence and his wish will come true. The tradition is quite complicated: you need to put a coin in the mouth of a wild boar and when it falls into the water you need to rub the face. The money thrown into the fountain is distributed to the city's charitable organizations.