The Little Mermaid is a fairy tale in itself. Hans Christian Andersen wrote the story in 1836, then Disney produced the film, and Copenhagen maintains a statue in his honor. The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen remains the most popular tourist attraction in Denmark and one of the most photographed statues in the world. Travelers can visit it all year round, but be sure to check the weather in Denmark before planning your trip!
The story of the little mermaid
A sad story indeed. At 15, our Little Mermaid (in Danish, Den lille havfrue ) breaks the surface of the sea for the first time and falls in love with the prince she saved from drowning. In exchange for her legs, she sells her voice to the evil sea witch, but sadly, she never gets her prince, instead turning into cold, deadly foam from the sea.
History of sculpture
In 1909, the brewer Carl Jacobsen (founder of Carlsberg Beer) attended the ‘ballet’ The Little Mermaid ‘by Hans Beck and Fini Henriques, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Deeply impressed, Carl Jacobsen asked Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen to create a sculpture. The 4-foot-tall Little Mermaid was unveiled in Langelinje in 1913, as part of a general trend in Copenhagen in those days, using classical and historical figures as decorations in the city’s parks and public areas.
Location
The Little Mermaid sits near the shore of the “Langelinie” cruise port in her granite resting place, in the old port district of Nyhavn. It is a short walk from the main cruise ship pier, close to many of Copenhagen’s other top attractions.
When photographing the Little Mermaid statue, look at the background. If you move a little to the left / north of it, you will get the Holmen area as the background, which is preferable to the industrial cranes you get if you walk directly in front of it.
