There can be few cruise passengers visiting Copenhagen who don’t include a visit to The Little Mermaid on their schedule. When they reach the figure, a short walk from the Langelinie terminal, they are usually surprised by two things: just how small she is – the statue is only 50 inches tall – and the fact that, unlike most depictions of mermaids, she has two legs.Those making the pilgrimage to the statue this year are in for an even bigger shock, because the mermaid won’t be there. The statue, which has sat serenely on a boulder at the edge of the water for 97 years, has been removed and is being shipped to Shanghai, where it will be on display until October in Denmark’s pavilion at the 2010 World Expo. There are plenty of other attractions to visit in Copenhagen, it’s true – there are royal palaces, and the popolar Tivoli Gardens, said to be the inspiration for Disney World. But with the Baltic cruising season about to get under way, there’s going to be a lot of disappointed Hans Christian Andersen fans this year. There are several copies of the statue in existence, but instead of using one as a substitute, the city will replace it with a video installation by a Chinese artist.
About the Author: John Honeywell
John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.
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