The Little Mermaid
Den lille Havfrue
A 1913 bronze statue inspired by Andersen's fairy tale. Only 1.25 meters tall, it is nonetheless Copenhagen's most photographed landmark.
The Little Mermaid sits on the rocks of the shoreline in Langelinie Park. It was funded by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of Carlsberg, sculpted by Edvard Eriksen, and unveiled in 1913, inspired by Andersen's fairy tale and the Royal Danish Ballet's ballet of the same name. The statue is 1.25 m tall and weighs 175 kg, much smaller than many visitors imagine. It became Denmark's ambassador to the world (in 2010 it was sent to the Denmark Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo), and it remains a must-visit photo spot. Viewing is free. The statue faces the harbor, with Refshaleøen island behind it. At high tide you can approach the statue via the stone steps on the shore. The best photo spot is on the shore to the statue's front left, in the clear morning light. Nearby, you can link several sights into a half-day walking route: from the Little Mermaid, head south through Langelinie Park, past the Gefion Fountain (a giant fountain showing the Nordic goddess Gefion plowing the sea with oxen), St. Alban's English Church and the 17th-century star-shaped Kastellet fortress (you can walk along its earthen ramparts and see the windmill), then on to Amalienborg Palace and Frederik's Church. The whole route is about 1.5 km. Getting there: about 20 minutes on foot from Nyhavn; 12 minutes from Marmorkirken station on the M4 metro line; bus 27 to the Indiakaj stop. Canal cruises pass the statue on the water. Note: the statue has been beheaded and vandalized with paint several times and is now protected by surveillance. The rocks around it are slippery, so do not climb them.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Kastellet
- Designmuseum Danmark
- Reffen Street Food Market
- Amalienborg Palace
- Copenhagen Opera House
- Frederik's Church (Marble Church)
- Nyhavn
- Freetown Christiania