The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen

Tourist in Copenhagen? Make your way out to see The Little Mermaid on Langelinie – one of Copenhagen's most famous monuments, attracting tourists from all over the world every year. The bronze sculpture is a symbol of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name.

The short story behind The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid was a gift to the City of Copenhagen from brewer Carl Jacobsen, who loved the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, and also was inspired by a ballerina who danced the lead role in the ballet The Little Mermaid at the Royal Danish Theatre in 1909.

Made by sculptor Edvard Eriksen, the bronze sculpture on a granite stone became a permanent feature on Langelinie on 23 August 1913.

The area around The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen

The area around The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen is charming and tourist-friendly.

Walk along Langelinie ("long line") and see the large cruise ships docked on the quayside, meet the locals out on their weekly stroll and look inside the little shops where you can buy Danish design, clothing and other great souvenirs to take home with you. You will also find cosy cafés and a tourist information office. And further experiences await you if you head out beyond Langelinie. Go for a walk on Kastellet (the Citadel) – one of the best preserved fortifications in Northern Europe, from the days of Christian IV (1624).

Kastellet as a tourist attraction

Kastellet (the Citadel) and the ramparts near Langelinie, and the area around The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen are a lovely place to visit. Idyll in the heart of the city. A stroll through Kastellet gets most people thinking – back to the Copenhagen of old. Kastellet has its own church and a mill, and a castle was originally supposed to have been built there where the king could seek refuge. What is special about Kastellet is that the cannons were not only aimed at the enemy, but could be turned towards the city and the king's own subjects. Read more about Kastellet.

The fairy tale of The Little Mermaid

Not familiar with Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale about the little mermaid? In short, it is about a young mermaid who lives at the bottom of the sea and is not allowed to swim to the surface and see the human world until she turns 15. On her 15th birthday, she swims to the surface and is fascinated by all that she sees. She sees a prince and, for her, it is love at first sight. The prince is in danger of drowning, and the little mermaid saves him.

After this, she cannot live without him and asks the Sea Witch for help. In exchange for her tongue, the mermaid is transformed into a human and goes ashore to get her prince. The prince does not recognise her and, without her tongue, she cannot tell him who she is. Lonely and unhappy, the little mermaid turns into foam when the prince marries another.

The sculpture at Langelinie reminds us of a beautiful Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of unrequited love.

From Steel House Copenhagen to The Little Mermaid on Langeline

Distance-wise, it is approximately 4 km from Steel House Copenhagen to The Little Mermaid on Langelinie. It takes about 45 minutes to walk there, and just under 15 minutes by bike or by car. If you travel there by S-train, it takes around 20 minutes from Vesterport Station to Østerport Station. From here, it's a 900-metre walk to The Little Mermaid statue on Langelinie.

Are you planning to go on a canal tour in Copenhagen? The Little Mermaid is one of the sights you'll see on the canal cruise

The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen

Steel House Copenhagen

As a guest staying at the New Yorker-inspired Steel House Copenhagen, you will experience brand new standards in contemporary city hostels. You will encounter minimalist lines and designs in a balanced fusion of raw elements, a rustic interior and soft textures.

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid welcomes guests in the port edge of Langelinie. It illustrates the Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name and is a gift to Copenhagen donated by brewer Carl Jacobsen and made by sculptor Edvard Eriksen.