Little Mermaid (Lille Havfrue)
Langelinie, Copenhagen, DNK
One of Denmark’s most beloved icons, the Little Mermaid first appeared in Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairytale and achieved even wider recognition with Disney’s 1989 animated adaptation. A statue of the character by artist Edvard Eriksen looks out over Copenhagen’s harbor, and is among the city’s most popular tourist attractions.
A tour of Copenhagen isn’t complete without a selfie with the city’s most famous statue. Copenhagen hop-on hop-off tours stop right by the statue, or you can visit the Little Mermaid on a private or small-group walking tour. Alternatively, admire it from the water on a Copenhagen canal tour, stop by on a bike or Segway tour, or combine a city tour with other Copenhagen attractions such as Christiansborg Palace or Kronborg Castle.
The Little Mermaid statue is a must-see for fairytale and Disney fans.
There is no entrance fee to visit the statue.
The Little Mermaid statue sits on a rock along the Langelinie Promenade in Copenhagen Harbor, about 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) northeast of downtown Copenhagen. Bus no. 26 stops close to the harbor.
The busiest time to visit the statue is during the summer months, when it’s best to make an early start to ensure a crowd-free photo.
Carl Jacobsen, heir to the Carlsberg beer fortune, commissioned the Little Mermaid statue in the early 20th century after watching the ballet about the fairytale at Copenhagen's Royal Theatre. Jacobsen asked sculptor Edvard Eriksen to create the statue, which was unveiled in August of 1913. The bronze statue's head was modeled after the ballet's prima ballerina, but the body was modeled after Eriksen's wife.
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