The statue of Porcellino is located outside of the Modern Languages building.
Porcellino, a bronze statue of a wild boar, represents courage and bravery in the face of adversity. This statue is one of a few replicas of the original in Florence, Italy. Campus legend says that rubbing Porcellino’s nose will bring you good luck.
Did you know? The bronze boar was donated by Dr. Henry Crapo, a former math professor, in 1978 and was quickly adopted as the Arts mascot. In 1991, the boar was kidnapped by Engineers and forced to masquerade as dog! Engineers now are pledged to protect the boar. Check out "Celebrating the Boar", "The Boar in the News" to learn more history about Porcellino and the University of Waterloo.
Buttons of the University mascots
Porcellino exists in many representations. You may have met Porcellino at UWaterloo events, or collected his button or have a Porcellino shirt.
Porcellino Around the World
There are a few other Porcellino statues around the world! The original is in Florence, Italy. You also may have spotted him in the Louvre in Paris and in two of the Harry Potter movies!