Mermaid of Warsaw
The Mermaid of Warsaw is a symbol of Warsaw, represented on the city's coat of arms as well as in a number of statues and other imagery.
Etymology
Polish syrenka is a cognate of siren, but she is more properly a fresh-water mermaid called melusina.A mermaid is a mythical sea creature with the lower body of a fish and the upper body of a woman. Often depicted with long hair, mermaids were known to sing haunting melodies which would draw passing ships onto rocks.
A melusina is a mythical freshwater winged and fish-tailed spirit who lives in rivers or wells.
Origin
A creature was on Warsaw's coat of arms in 1390. It showed an animal with a bird's legs and a torso covered with dragon scales. The seal of 1459 had feminine characteristics, a bird torso, human hands, a fishtail, and bird legs and claws. The first presentation of a mermaid dates from 1622.The inspiration for the coat of arms was probably derived from the 2nd-century book Physiologus.
The legend of the Warsaw mermaid
There are several legends about the mermaid. The City's literature and tour guides say the mermaid decided to stay after stopping on a riverbank near the Old Town. Fishermen noticed something was creating waves, tangling nets, and releasing their fish. They planned to trap the animal, then heard her singing and fell in love. A rich merchant trapped and imprisoned the mermaid. Hearing her cries, the fishermen rescued her. Ever since, the mermaid, armed with a sword and a shield, has been ready to help protect the city and its residents.Sometimes this legend is expanded to say the Little Mermaid (statue)|Little Mermaid] in Copenhagen is the Warsaw mermaid's sister and they went separate ways from the Baltic Sea.
Another states she helped a prince lost hunting and he founded the city in her honour.
Monuments and carvings of the Warsaw mermaid
Examples include:The Old Town Market Place
The sculpture in Warsaw's Old Town Square was designed by Varsovian sculptor Konstanty Hegel.Originally and now it stands in the marketplace. At other times, it was moved to different places in Warsaw. In 2008, the original sculpture made of bronzed zinc was taken from the market for maintenance work. The sculpture was in a very poor condition due to mechanical damage and numerous acts of vandalism. The repaired original was transferred to the Museum of Warsaw, and replaced with a copy of made by the Jacek Guzera foundry in Dąbrowie near Kielce.
Powiśle
This statue, made of gunmetal, was erected in April 1939 in Powiśle near the Vistula river. The sculpture is by Ludwika Nitschowa and posed by poet Krystyna Krahelska. Originally, it was to be a 20-metre high sculpture made of glass, placed on a pillar in the middle of the Vistula channel. For financial reasons, this idea was abandoned, opting for a more modest solution - a sculpture surrounded by fish and seagulls, which was to be set up in a fountain.The monument was not on the list of objects intended by the Germans for dismantling, it was also one of the few that survived World War II without major damage.
In autumn of 2006, a silver plaque of the Virtuti Militari was added to the monument for General Sikorski who was awarded it in recognition of his defence of Warsaw in September 1939.