little mermaid

Denmark's Little Mermaid Moves To Shanghai

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art

Here's a sight you don't see every day. Copenhagen's famous little mermaid statue is on the move. The Little Mermaid is being moved from her perch in Copenhagen harbor to begin a voyage that will land her in Shanghai, China. She will be shown off at the World Expo in Shanghai and then return to her post at the end of the year. This is the first time that statue has left Denmark in her 96 years. The statue honors Danish fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote her story. She will grace the Danish pavilion at the World Expo which opens May 1. Some have said that the original shouldn't have been moved and that a copy should have been sent. Certainly locals and visitors will miss the lady on the rock while she's off on her adventures.

The sculpture was created by Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen and is a popular tourist attraction. She has not been moved except when she needed repairs. The lady has had a rough life, she was beheaded in 1964 and 1988 and lost her right arm once. She was also blown off her stone base by explosives and has been vandalized numerous times. Compared to that, a global voyage might be a breeze.

Tags: copenhagen, denmark, little mermaid, shangai, statue, world expo