The story of the little mermaid standing by the waters of the Copenhagen Harbour is based on a fairy-tale by Hans Christian Andersen.  It was written in 1836, and turned into a movie by Disney in the 20th century.  It is a popular attraction for the whole family, no matter of what age, and a famous tourist place of Denmark, and is visited the whole year round.

The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen, Denmark by Dennis Jarvis

Sculptor

A brewer named Carl Jacobsen went to watch a ballet of the Little Mermaid in 1909, which was also based on the fairy-tale.  He then went to the Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen and asked him to build the sculpture of the mermaid.  She was constructed with half a fish tail and half legs so that visitors would know who she was.  In 1913, she was unveiled at Langelinje and stood four feet tall.  Edvard Eriksen’s wife was the woman who modelled for the statue after the ballerina from the theatre turned Carl down.  She did not want to pose naked, knowing the public would look upon her.

The Mermaid’s Tale

The story of the little mermaid is a sad tale about a fifteen-year-old mermaid who comes out of the sea to fall in love with a prince that she saved from drowning. To get legs to walk around on land she gives her voice to an evil sea witch. Unfortunately, she never finds her prince because the witch betrays her and changes her legs into deadly sea foam instead.

Little Mermaid, Copenhagen, Denmark by Dennis Jarvis

The little bronze mermaid sculpture rests on granite stone in Nyhavn, an old port district, where she will always sit next to the shore of the Langelinie Quay or harbour.  She is not far away from many other famous attractions of Denmark. This is the perfect spot for her to rest because it is where she can watch the sailors coming into Copenhagen. The life for the locals here is to visit outdoor bars and restaurants, but they have to keep an eye on the weather. Some chat by the water if it is warm and perhaps sunny, with a beer, looking upon the little mermaid with pride.

Sadly, for the people of Copenhagen the Little Mermaid was no longer where she had lived for about one hundred years.  She was lifted onto a truck where she started her journey to Shanghai for a World Expo.  She was moved there to be the centrepiece of the Danish exhibit.  It was only to be a temporary move at this point, but the residents of Copenhagen wondered if they would ever see their Little Mermaid again.  Many of the older generation had grown up with her, so it was very sad for those people losing a piece of their memories as well as the history.  But in November 2010, the people of Copenhagen rejoiced again as the Little Mermaid came back home to rest in her old spot by the water.

The Little Mermaid is a must see if you visit Denmark. However, you definitely need to find a suitable hotel in Copenhagen (interesting to know is that the Danish term is Lækkert hotel København) for you. Find more travel tips in Channel Voyager.

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