I turned 44 in June. I have this tradition – when possible – of not being in Belgium for my birthday. From Sweden in 2013 to the Châteaux of the Loire Valley in 2014, Lake Orta in 2015, Rome in 2016, London in 2018, North Carolina and Virginia in 2019, England in 2022, and Rotterdam in 2023. In June 2025, I headed to Copenhagen in Denmark with Steve.
It’s a cliché, it’s often called disappointing. But when visiting Copenhagen you should at least once go and see the statue of the Little Mermaid. She’s as incontournable as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or Buckingham Palace in London.
So after visiting Rosenborg Castle, we walked to the Little Mermaid.
Gefion Fountain
But first we encountered the Gefion Fountain.
The Gefion Fountain, in Danish Gefionspringvandet, is a monumental fountain located on the waterfront in Copenhagen. It features a dramatic sculptural group depicting the Norse goddess Gefjon driving a plough drawn by four oxen. The fountain is situated in the Nordre Toldbod area, adjacent to Kastellet and just south of Langelinie.
The fountain was a gift to the city of Copenhagen from the Carlsberg Foundation to mark the brewery’s 50th anniversary. It was initially intended to be installed in the city’s main square outside the City Hall but was ultimately placed near the Øresund, close to Kastellet.
Danish sculptor Anders Bundgaard designed the fountain. He created the naturalistic figures between 1897 and 1899, while the basins and surrounding ornamentation were completed in 1908. The fountain was officially inaugurated on 14 July 1908.
Extensive renovation work began in 1999, during which the fountain remained inactive for several years. It was re-inaugurated in September 2004.
The sculpture is based on a legend about the creation of the island of Zealand, as recounted in Old Norse literature. The tale appears in the Ragnarsdrápa, a ninth-century skaldic poem preserved in the Prose Edda, as well as in Snorri Sturluson‘s Ynglinga saga from the Heimskringla.
According to the legend, the Swedish king Gylfi promised the goddess Gefjon as much land as she could plough in one night. She transformed her four sons into oxen and ploughed a vast section of earth, which was then thrown into the sea between Scania and the island of Funen.
The void left behind became a lake referred to in sources as Lögrinn or Leginum. Snorri Sturluson identified this as Lake Mälaren near Stockholm in Sweden, though other sagas also mention the same identification.
However, modern tourist information commonly associates the legend with Lake Vänern, Sweden’s largest lake, due to its resemblance in shape and size to the island of Zealand. Notably, Snorri, who visited Västergötland in 1219, referred to Vänern by its distinct name, Vænir.
The Gefion Fountain has appeared in several Danish films, including ‘Jeg elsker en anden‘ (1946), ‘Mor bag rattet‘ (1965), ‘Min søsters børn vælter byen‘ (1968), and ‘The Olsen Gang’s Big Score‘ (1972), where it features prominently.
The Little Mermaid
But we came for the Little Mermaid of course.
The Little Mermaid orDen lille Havfrue is a bronze statue by Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen, situated on a rock at the Langelinie promenade in Copenhagen. It portrays a mermaid in the process of becoming human and is based on the 1837 fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. The statue stands 1.25 metres tall and weighs 175 kilograms.
Since its unveiling in 1913, the statue has become an enduring symbol of Copenhagen and a popular tourist attraction. Despite its modest scale, it is often considered one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. Over the years, the statue has been a frequent target of vandalism and political protest.
The statue was commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the Carlsberg brewery’s founder, after he attended a ballet based on Andersen’s tale at Copenhagen’s Royal Theatre. The ballerina Ellen Price, who performed the title role, was asked to model for the statue’s head. However, as she declined to pose nude, the body was modelled after the sculptor’s wife, Eline Eriksen. The statue was unveiled on 23 August 1913.
Shanghai
In 2010, the statue was temporarily relocated to Shanghai in China to be displayed in the Danish Pavilion at Expo 2010—the first time it was officially moved since its installation.
While in Shanghai, a replica was placed in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. City officials have considered relocating the statue further into the harbour to protect it from vandalism and overenthusiastic visitors, but as of September 2022, it remains in its original location on the waterfront.
Vandalism
Since the 1960s, the statue has been repeatedly vandalised. On 24 April 1964, its head was sawn off and stolen by artists associated with the Situationist movement. The head was never recovered and had to be replaced.
In 1984, the statue’s right arm was removed and returned two days later. In 1990, an unsuccessful attempt to decapitate the statue left a deep cut in the neck. On 6 January 1998, the head was removed again and later returned anonymously. On 10 September 2003, explosives were used to dislodge the statue from its base, causing it to fall into the harbour.
The statue has also been repeatedly defaced with paint. Incidents have included paint being poured on the statue in 1963, 2006, 2007, 2017, and 2022.
On some occasions, political messages accompanied the acts. These included slogans referencing whaling in the Faroe Islands, a call to “Free Abdulle“, support for the Hong Kong protests, and commentary related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In June 2020, the phrase “racist fish” was scrawled on its base during the Black Lives Matter protests, prompting confusion among commentators.
Although dressing the statue is not classified as vandalism, it has also been used for expressive or humorous purposes. It has been draped in a burqa during a protest against Turkey’s European Union candidacy, and at other times dressed in Muslim attire or national football jerseys. Seasonal decorations such as Christmas hats have also appeared.
Replicas around the world
The current statue is a replica of the original, which is stored for preservation. More than thirteen other copies exist globally, including in Solvang (California), Kimballton (Iowa), Piatra Neamț (Romania), Torrejón de Ardoz (Spain), Seoul (South Korea), and Calgary (Canada).
A half-size replica is located in the International Peace Gardens in Salt Lake City, Utah. Another copy was given by Denmark to Brazil in 1960 to commemorate the inauguration of Brasília, where it remains outside the Brazilian Navy Command building.
A similar statue was installed in Giardini Naxos, Sicily, in 1962. Another underwater mermaid statue, also located in Sicily, lies within the Marine Protected Area of Plemmirio near Syracuse.
In Monaco, a stylised version created in 2000 by Kristian Dahlgard stands overlooking Larvotto beach, dedicated to the Danish community and in honour of Prince Rainier III.
A notable parallel is found in ‘Pania of the Reef‘, a statue in Napier, New Zealand, which shares both visual and thematic similarities. In Vancouver, ‘Girl in a Wetsuit‘ by Elek Imredy was created in 1972 after permission to reproduce the Copenhagen statue was denied.
Copyright
The Little Mermaid statue remains under copyright until 1 January 2030, seventy years after Edvard Eriksen’s death. Replicas may be sold with authorisation from the sculptor’s heirs.
In 2020, Danish newspaper Berlingske was sued for publishing cartoons parodying the statue. Although the paper initially lost in court, the Danish Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the parody fell within the limits of copyright law, citing the principle of fair use.
A copyright dispute also arose in Greenville, Michigan, where a half-sized replica was installed in 1994 to commemorate the town’s Danish heritage. In 2009, the Artists Rights Society demanded a licensing fee for the unauthorised replica, but the claim was later withdrawn. The replica differs from the original in several respects, including the facial features and proportions.
In 2016, a statue resembling The Little Mermaid was installed on a rock in the harbour at Asaa, Denmark. The sculptor’s heirs filed a lawsuit, alleging the Asaa statue was too similar to the original and sought both damages and its removal.
The Little Mermaid in real life
Does the Little Mermaid disappoint? No, not really. She’s not that small. And it wasn’t too crowded either. Or maybe we were lucky.
Visiting the Little Mermaid is also an excuse to visit the Langelinie.
The Langelinie
The Langelinie is a pier, promenade and park situated in central Copenhagen. It is home to the statue of The Little Mermaid and remains a popular location for walks and leisure among both locals and tourists.
For centuries, the area has served as a favoured destination for excursions, and it continues to be an important arrival point for cruise ships visiting the city, many of which berth at Langelinie Pier.
The name Langelinie, meaning Long Line’, dates back to the mid-17th century when it referred to a coastal path running along the Øresund, curving around the citadel of Kastellet and continuing towards a lime kiln to the north of Copenhagen.
At the time, the area was part of a military zone with restricted public access. According to an 1819 order, soldiers stationed there were required to pour water over their heads and feet to cool themselves. Eventually, a promenade and park were created for the city’s bourgeoisie, with access granted upon payment of a toll, effectively excluding the general population. Following a popular uprising in 1848, the area was opened to the public.
With the growth of Copenhagen and increasing industrial activity, the city’s original harbour facilities were no longer sufficient. In 1862, plans were made to expand the harbour and establish a free port.
The scheme involved dredging the area to allow large ocean-going ships access, and using the excavated material to create landfills along the shore. A broader proposal to designate the entire island of Amager as a duty-free zone was rejected in favour of concentrating development north of Kastellet, on the site of the Langelinie promenade. Prompted in part by Germany’s construction of the Kiel Canal in 1887, work on the Copenhagen Free Port was completed in 1894.
As a result, the old beachfront promenade and its bourgeois villas were displaced inland, replaced by Strandboullevarden, a busy thoroughfare. The former beach became a harbour basin, and Langelinie was transformed into a pier situated on the opposite side of the new port.
Langelinie Park (Langelinieparken) extends from Esplanaden in the south to Langelinie Marina and the base of the pier in the north.
While Kastellet is formally included within the park’s boundaries, it is typically referenced separately. The park contains a number of monuments, public buildings, sculptures and recreational facilities. Notable features include the Gefion Fountain, the Ivar Huitfeldt Column and The Little Mermaid statue.
Langelinie Marina was created in the 1890s alongside the development of the Free Port and the adjacent quay. It offered construction workers and employees from the Burmeister & Wain shipyard across the harbour an opportunity to own small boats and supplement their incomes through fishing.
For many years, the marina has served as the base for several Copenhagen rowing clubs. Today, only the clubs formerly associated with B&W and DFDS remain, following the transfer of ØK’s premises to Langelinie Marina’s boat guild.
The Langelinie Pier (Langeliniekajen) was constructed with sufficient depth to accommodate large ocean-going vessels. The pier is adorned with various statues and memorials.
Among these is a cast bronze sculpture of a polar bear with cubs, which still bears bullet holes inflicted by a German soldier during World War II occupation of Denmark. Other commemorative monuments at the pier include memorials dedicated to the hospital ship MS Jutlandia and to the Arctic explorer Ludvig Mylius-Erichsen.
The current Langelinie Pavilion is the third structure to bear the name at this location. It was designed by the architects Nils and Eva Koppel.
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