Copenhagen’s Surprisingly Little Mermaid Statue

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Perched on a rock at the water’s edge in Copenhagen, the century-old bronze statue of The Little Mermaid has become a national treasure inspired by the famous story by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.

The Little Mermaid Statue Copenhagen Denmark

By David Coleman

Last Updated: June 22, 2026

Filed Under: Denmark

Topics: Copenhagen

I guess it shouldn’t be so surprising that it’s small. It’s right there in the name, after all: The Little Mermaid.

As with the Mannekin Pis in Brussels, there’s something a bit jarring for an iconic attraction with such an outsized reputation to be so petite.

It’s a roughly life-sized statue of a mermaid. Well, life-sized for a 4-foot-tall mermaid, that is. She’s slouching and looking forlorn.

And it looks newer than I expected.

The original was unveiled in 1913, but over the following century was subjected to all sorts of indignities and even violence, often becoming the focus of vandals or political protests. So it has undergone repairs several times over the years.

The sculptor, Edvard Eriksen, didn’t chance on the idea of a small mermaid randomly, of course. It’s inspired by the fairytale of the same name by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.

In 2015, the statue made news, with the help of Facebook. When a Danish politician posted a photo of the century-old statue of the topless mermaid on her Facebook page, Facebook initially banned the image for “too much bare skin or sexual undertones.” In a small victory for common sense, Facebook later relented and allowed the image.

Photos of Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, weathered bronze figure seated on granite boulder gazing left against an overcast sky — COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Little Mermaid statue, a bronze sculpture by Edvard Eriksen, has occupied its granite boulder at Langelinie Promenade since 23 August 1913. Commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen and inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name, the figure was presented as a gift to the City of Copenhagen and has since become a symbol of the Danish capital. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel **License this image at: Directly Alamy**

The Little Mermaid statue perched on its boulder in Copenhagen Harbour with a glass-topped tour boat passing in the background — COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Little Mermaid statue, a bronze figure measuring approximately 1.25 metres (4.1 feet) tall, is situated on a granite boulder at Langelinie Promenade. Created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen and commissioned in 1909 by brewer Carl Jacobsen, the work was installed on 23 August 1913 and is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale of the same name. Here it is seen from a passing tour boat, the “Store Claus” operated by Stromma, offering a perspective that reflects the statue’s original intent — to be read against the open harbour horizon. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel **License this image at: Directly Alamy**

The Little Mermaid statue at Langelinie Promenade surrounded by crowds of tourists on rocky shoreline, captured with fisheye perspective — COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Little Mermaid statue, a bronze sculpture by Edvard Eriksen commissioned in 1909 and installed on 23 August 1913, sits on a granite boulder at the waterside of Langelinie Promenade. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name, the figure was presented by brewer Carl Jacobsen as a gift to Copenhagen and has become a prominent symbol of Danish heritage. The promenade setting, with its open harbour views, reflects Jacobsen’s original intention for the work to be read against the sea horizon. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel **License this image at: Directly Alamy**

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, weathered bronze figure with fish tail seated on granite boulder against grey harbour water — COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The bronze Little Mermaid is perched on a granite boulder at the water’s edge along Langelinie Promenade. Sculpted by Edvard Eriksen, the figure was commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen and installed on 23 August 1913 as a civic gift to Copenhagen. It depicts the title character of Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale and has become a well-known symbol of the Danish capital. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel **License this image at: Directly Alamy**

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Little Mermaid sits on a granite boulder at the waterside of Langelinie Promenade, her bronze surface weathered to a greenish-blue patina from decades of marine exposure. Sculpted by Edvard Eriksen and commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, the figure was installed on 23 August 1913 as a gift to the City of Copenhagen. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale of the same name, the modest 1.25-metre statue has become one of Denmark’s most visited cultural landmarks. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel License this image at: Directly Alamy

The Little Mermaid statue at Langelinie Promenade with tourists lined along the waterfront promenade and harbour beyond — COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Little Mermaid statue, a bronze sculpture inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale, sits on a granite boulder at the water’s edge along Langelinie Promenade. Sculpted by Edvard Eriksen and commissioned in 1909 by brewer Carl Jacobsen, it was installed on 23 August 1913 as a gift to the city. Visitors gather along the promenade to view and photograph the iconic figure, which has become one of Denmark’s most recognized symbols. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel **License this image at: Directly Alamy**

The Little Mermaid statue on its boulder surrounded by visitors on rocky shoreline with crowds gathering along the promenade railing — COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Little Mermaid statue stands on a granite boulder at the waterside of Langelinie Promenade, surrounded by the rocky shoreline and the waters of Copenhagen Harbour. The bronze was sculpted by Edvard Eriksen, commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, and installed on 23 August 1913 as a gift to the city. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale of the same name, the figure draws numerous visitors who gather along the promenade to view it at close range. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel **License this image at: Directly Alamy**

What to know before you go

The Little Mermaid is perched on a rock at the entrance to the harbor in Copenhagen next to the fortifications known as the Kastellet. Just walk along the waterfront and you’ll come across it.

There are no tickets or entry times. It’s publicly accessible all day and night. It’s basically a statue in a public park. The only difference, in this case, is that it’s about 10 feet offshore.

This being the selfie generation, in warm weather, you’ll probably see people taking off their shoes and wading onto the rocks to take a selfie or pose with the mermaid. Be forewarned though that those rocks are slick with seaweed and the water can be very cold if you fall in.

2100 København Ø, Denmark

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