You've probably heard she's small. People love to warn you about that. "Oh, don't expect too much," they’ll say, "she's tiny." And honestly? They aren't lying. Standing at just 1.25 meters (about 4 feet), the little mermaid statue in copenhagen isn't some towering colossus like Liberty or the Motherland. She’s quiet. She’s a bit lonely-looking, perched on a hunk of granite at the edge of the Langelinie pier.
But there is something about her that keeps millions of people trekking out to the harbor every single year. Maybe it's the melancholy. Or maybe it's the fact that she has survived more "assassination attempts" than most world leaders.
If you are planning to visit or just curious why a bronze fish-lady is the face of a whole country, there is a lot more to the story than just a Disney movie. In fact, the "real" story—the one written by Hans Christian Andersen—is way darker, and the history of the statue itself is straight-up chaotic.
The Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen: A Gift from a Beer King
Back in the early 1900s, Carl Jacobsen (the guy who basically built the Carlsberg brewery empire) was obsessed with the arts. He saw a ballet at the Royal Danish Theatre based on Andersen's fairy tale and was so moved he decided Copenhagen needed a physical monument to the character.
He didn't want just anyone to make it. He hired Edvard Eriksen, a skilled sculptor, and they had a specific vision. They wanted the face of the famous ballerina Ellen Price, who had starred in the ballet.
Here is where it gets kinda awkward. Price agreed to let Eriksen use her face for the sculpture, but she absolutely refused to pose nude. Eriksen was stuck. He needed a body for his mermaid, so he did what any resourceful artist would do: he asked his wife, Eline Eriksen, to strip down and model for the torso instead.
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So, when you look at the statue today, you’re looking at a Frankenstein of Danish culture—the head of a prima ballerina and the body of a sculptor's wife. She was finally unveiled to the public on August 23, 1913.
What most people get wrong about her size
Expectation management is everything in Copenhagen. I’ve seen tourists walk right past her because they were looking for something the size of a billboard. She weighs 175 kilograms (around 385 pounds), which sounds heavy until you realize she’s mostly bronze and air.
If you go during the middle of a summer afternoon, you won’t even see the statue first. You’ll see a wall of selfie sticks and tour groups. It’s almost comical. This tiny bronze figure being swarmed by hundreds of people like she’s a rockstar.
A Century of Absolute Chaos
For a lady who just wants to look at the water, she has been through hell. Seriously. The little mermaid statue in Copenhagen might be the most vandalized monument on the planet.
It started relatively late, but once it began, it didn't stop.
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- 1964: Her head was sawn off. Gone. Never found. They had to cast a new one from the original molds.
- 1984: Two guys sawed off her right arm. They actually brought it back two days later, claiming they were just drunk and felt bad about it.
- 1998: Another decapitation. This time, the head was returned anonymously to a TV station.
- 2003: Someone actually used explosives to blast her off her rock. She was found floating in the harbor water with holes in her knee and wrist.
She’s been doused in red paint (to protest whaling), green paint, and even blue and white paint. People have dressed her in a burqa, a hijab, and even a "racist fish" sign.
Why her? Because she's the symbol of Denmark. If you want to make a statement that the whole world will see, you target the mermaid. She’s the city’s punching bag and its most beloved daughter all at once. It's a weird, stressful existence for a statue.
How to actually see her (without the headache)
If you want a peaceful moment with the mermaid, you have to be smart about it. Don't go at 2:00 PM. Just don't. You’ll be elbowed by a teenager from Ohio or a cruise ship group from Italy.
The Golden Rule: Go early. Like, 7:00 AM early.
The light hitting the water at that hour is beautiful, and you might actually get to hear the sound of the waves instead of the shutter clicks of a thousand cameras. Plus, the Langelinie promenade is a great walk. You can pass by the Kastellet (the star-shaped fortress), which is right nearby.
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Getting there is easy
- Walk: It’s about a 15-20 minute stroll from Østerport Station.
- Water Bus: Take the yellow harbor bus (Movia). It’s a cheap way to see her from the water, which is honestly the best angle.
- Bike: It’s Copenhagen. Rent a bike. It’s a 10-minute ride from the city center.
The Copyright Drama
Something most people don't know is that the Eriksen family is notoriously protective of the statue’s likeness. Until 2030, the statue is under copyright.
This has led to some pretty bizarre lawsuits. A Danish newspaper, Berlingske, was once sued (and initially fined) for using a caricature of the mermaid to make a political point. Even a small town in Michigan that built a replica to celebrate their Danish heritage got a bill for licensing fees.
The Danish Supreme Court eventually stepped in a few years ago to say that parodies are okay, but the family still keeps a very close eye on how she’s used. It’s a strange contrast: the statue belongs to the city and the world, but the image of her belongs to the descendants of the guy who made her.
What should you do next?
If you're heading to Copenhagen, don't just tick the mermaid off your list and leave. Walk ten minutes further down the pier to see the Genetically Modified Little Mermaid. It’s a wild, postmodern sculpture by Bjørn Nørgaard that serves as a weird "sister" to the original. It’s way less crowded and much more "weird Copenhagen."
Also, take a moment to read the original Hans Christian Andersen story before you go. It’s not the "happily ever after" version. She doesn't get the prince; she turns into sea foam. When you see the statue’s expression with that context, the whole experience feels a lot more meaningful. She isn't just a tourist attraction. She's a monument to a sacrifice that didn't even pay off.
Practical Advice for Your Visit
- Check the weather: The harbor is windy. Even in summer, that sea breeze will bite you.
- Combine the trip: Don't go just for the statue. See the Gefion Fountain and the St. Alban’s Church right next door. They are arguably more impressive architecturally.
- Respect the rock: Don't be that person trying to climb onto the granite with her. It’s slippery, the water is cold, and the locals will definitely judge you.
Visiting the little mermaid statue in copenhagen is a bit of a rite of passage. It’s small, it’s crowded, and it’s been through a lot—but that’s exactly why it’s worth the walk. She represents a city that values its stories enough to keep rebuilding them, no matter how many times someone tries to take her head off.
To make the most of your trip, download the Dot (Din Offentlige Transport) app for easy harbor bus tickets, or simply plan your walk to end at a nearby bakery like Juno the Bakery for a cardamom bun—you'll need the sugar after fighting the crowds.