Syrenka - Mermaid, Warsaw

Warsaw mermaid is a symbol of this city and it is depicted on coat of arms. Actually mermaid monument was already made in 1855, but this one is not original, in such way trying to save real one from vandalism.

The mermaid is a part of Warsaw’s legendary story. The mermaid swam from the sea and stayed here to rest, but later was imprisoned by fishermen. As in stories about Arabic genies, mermaid asked to release her and promised to fulfill wishes (in this case - to defend town).

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The Mermaid has been the coat of arms of Warsaw for centuries, which is rather unusual for a place that is situated about 300 km from the sea. Legend has it that there were two mermaid sisters who swam from the Atlantic into the Baltic Sea. The smaller one now sits on a rock at the entrance to the port of Copenhagen. The other swam to Gdansk and then up the Vistula River as far as the Warsaw Old Town. She loved the place and would sing to the local fishermen in her beautiful voice. One day, however, she was tricked and captured by a wealthy merchant, who planned to put her in a cage and show at fairs. Her cries for help were heard by some local people, who came to her rescue. In return, the mermaid offered to defend them in times of need. That is why the Warsaw Mermaid bears a sword and a shield. And she certainly needed them in the course of Warsaw's turbulent past.
The emblem can now be found on all the Warsaw trams, buses and taxis. In addition, there are two statues of the Mermaid here: the larger one on the Vistula near the Swietokrzyski Bridge and the other, smaller one - now in the centre of the Old Town Square. The latter is a zinc cast of the sculpture by Konstanty Hegel, created in 1855. The statue on the Vistula, on the other hand, dates back to 1939. Its author Ludwika Krasowska-Nitschova modelled its face on that of a young poet Krystyna Krahelska, who was killed in combat on the first day of the Warsaw Uprising 1944.

The Syrenka (mermaid) is the mythic guardian of Warsaw. Legend has it that once fishermen noticed the presence of a mermaid in the Vistula river. A rich merchant decided to capture her in order to display her in a menagerie and earn money. When two young men heard the whining of the mermaid in her cage, they freed her and returned her to the river. In return for the help from the Warsaw citizenry and as a gesture of good will, the mermaid promised to protect Warsaw in the times to come whenever need be. This is why the mermaid is usually depicted with sword and shield, in a warlike pose. Her statue on the Old Town square is now probably the most-photographed site in all Warsaw.

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Warsaw is one of those old European cities full of beautifying statues and monuments. Brussels has "Manneken P1ss", Berlin has the "Berliner Baer", but the most famous and loved statue of Warsaw is the Mermaid:
This zinc sculpture by Konstanty Hegel was made in the year 1855 & is almost 3 metres tall, surrounded by a small water feature. It was located in different parts of the city in the past, but has taken-up permanent residence here since the year 2000.

Warsaw is over 300km (200miles) away from the nearest sea coast, so why has the city adopted a mermaid as its symbol? City records of "old Warsaw with strong walls" date as far back as 1609 and mention the appearance of a kind of a sea monster with a female upper body, holding a sword in its claws.

Today, "Syrenka" appears on every municipal building, buses, trams and taxis. The people of Warsaw are proud of their symbol, and she is always pictured with a sword in hand to represent the fighting spirit of the city's citizens.

There was also a 5-times bigger than life-sized "Syrena" statue on the bank of the river Vistul; created by sculptress Louise Nitschowa in 1939. The German armies destroyed many monuments (i.e. Chopin & Copernicus), but fortunately they were unaware of the mermaid's symbolism, and it was one of the few that were not destroyed. The statue in the Old Market Square is much smaller & more graceful. It is called Syrenka , which means "Little Mermaid".

One of the most fascinating monuments in Warsaw in my opinion. There are many legends why the mermaid became the emblem of Warsaw.

Read some of them.

1. http://www.warsawvoice.pl/view/6564/
2. http://info-poland.buffalo.edu/classroom/legends/WM1.pdf#search=%22warsaw%20mermaid%22
3. http://www.e-warsaw.pl/miasto/herb-1.htm

In the middle of the Market Square we can see the symbol of Warsaw - a mermaid. There is a legend connected with this mermaid - she was a young woman called Sawa, who was changed into a mermaid by a wicked witch and had to live in the Vistula river. Her beloved one, a fisherman called Wars, after many adventures, rescued her, and they decided to marry and live on the shore of Vistula. From their names (Wars + Sawa) derives the name of the city “Warszawa” (as we call it in Polish).

The Mermaid who stands in the Old Town Square was first mentioned in city records in 1609. It seemed strange that a city who's nearest sea coast is 200 miles away should have a mermaid as its symbol. Old legends tell of fishermen catching her in the River Wisla. The Mermaid is the proud symbol of Warsaw and can be seen pictured on buses, taxis and Government Buildings where she proudly wears her crown which was removed from all images during the fifty years of communist rule. Sometimes the letters PW are shown meaning "Polska Walczaca" = "Poland Fights"

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The monument was built by Konstanty Helg. The monument was situated on the Old Market Square from 1855 to 1928 and from 2000. Meantime, it changed its place.

There is a legend of a mermaid in Warsaw, Poland. Half woman, half fish, Syrenka lived in the waters of the Vistula River and would sit on a stone and comb her hair, singing. One day three peasants decided to catch her for a prince's gift. Filling their ears with wax so as not to hear her singing, they threw a net over Syrenka and shut her in a barn for the night. As they planned to journey the next morning to the prince,they asked a small shephard to stand guard. Syrenka sang and begged for freedom, and the shephard set her free. She dove into the river saying, 'Ilived here and sang for ordinary people but they have disappointed me. I will leave and you will never see me again. However, because I love this place, when difficult times come I will return and arm the city with a shield and sword.` Based on this legend, Warsaw established its coat-of-arms with the symbol of Syrenka.