The Little Mermaid

:For the 1989 Disney animated movie, see The Little Mermaid (film).

The Little Mermaid statue

A statue of the Little Mermaid sits on a rock in Copenhagen harbour. The small and unimposing statue is a symbol of Copenhagen, and a major tourist attraction.

Related Topics:
Copenhagen - Tourist attraction

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The statue was commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of Carlsberg, after he had been fascinated by a ballet about the fairytale. The sculptor Edward Eriksen created the statue, which was unveiled on 23 August 1913. He used his wife Eline Eriksen as model.

Related Topics:
1909 - Carl Jacobsen - Carlsberg - Edward Eriksen - 23 August - 1913 - Eline Eriksen

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This statue has been vandalised several times, but has each time been restored. On April 24, 1964 the statue's head was sawn off and stolen by politically oriented artists of the situationist movement, amongst them Jørgen Nash. The head was never recovered and a new head was produced and placed on the statue. On 22 july, 1984 her right arm was sawn off. The arm was returned 2 days later by two embarrassed young vandals. In 1990 another attempt was made to cut her head off, which resulted in an 18 cm. deep cut in the neck. On January 6, 1998 she lost her head for the second time, the head was returned anonymously, and on February 4 the head was back on. Red paint has been thrown on it several times, and on September 11 2003 the statue was blasted off her rock, possibly with dynamite.

Related Topics:
April 24 - 1964 - Artist - Situationist - Jørgen Nash - 22 july - 1984 - 1990 - January 6 - 1998 - February 4 - September 11 - 2003

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How small she is... is probably the most common reaction from tourists visiting for the first time. The Little Mermaid statue is only 1,25 meter high and weighs about 175 kg.

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There are similarities between the Little Mermaid statue and the Pania Of The Reef statue on the beachfront at Napier in New Zealand, and some similarities in the Little Mermaid and Pania tales.

Related Topics:
Pania Of The Reef - Napier - New Zealand

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A undamaged copy of the statue is located in Solvang, California.

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