warsaw+mermaid

The Warsaw mermaid is a beautiful structure made by Konstantly Hegel in 1855. The statue is a mermaid holding a sword and shield. The mermaid is one of Warsaw's top tourist attractions and it is located in Old Town Market Square. The original statue is made of bronze, but the one that is currently in Warsaw is a zinc cast made from the original.

Before the Warsaw mermaid was actually the Warsaw mermaid, it was a man with a sword and shield, with a dragons tail. Then later in time the male head was switched out and replaced with a female head and the fish tail ended up replacing the dragons tail. The only original items left are the shield and sword.

There are many tales about the the mermaid but this is one that stood out to me. "Syrenka, whose name actually is Melusina, is the sister of the famous mermaid in Copenhagen. One of the sisters swam up to the Danish straits and stayed there. The other sister swam to Poland and up the Vistula River, right to where the Old Town Market is today. She liked it and stayed and was popular with the people there for her singing. When she was caught and held prisoner by a man wanting to profit by her, she was freed by the local people. In gratitude she promised to protect the people if they were ever in danger."

It might seem a little bit crazy that Warsaw choose this figure as their symbol, but to them it means safety and stability. The people of Warsaw cherish this figure because to them it represents a bold structure of honor and for some people it brings back memories from many years ago. They believe she will honor her promise to protect the people if they are ever in danger.

Today, the Warsaw Mermaid can be seen in many places around Warsaw. The image is used in ads, architectual details and business logos.