Attraction in Warsaw

Warsaw Mermaid Statue (Pomnik Syrenki)

The bronze mermaid at the centre of Warsaw's Old Town Market Square is the city's emblem and legendary guardian, shown raising a sword and shield.

Reviewed and updated July 2026

Warsaw Mermaid Statue (Pomnik Syrenki) — Photo: Guillaume Speurt from Vilnius, Lithuania, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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What you see on the square

The statue shows the mermaid mid-motion, torso and fish tail together, holding a shield in one arm and a raised sword in the other, a pose that reads her as a fighter rather than a decorative figure. It sits on a stone base in the open middle of the Old Town Market Square, so you can walk a full circle around it and see the detail from every side. The bronze has weathered to a dark tone that stands out against the pastel townhouses ringing the square. The figure you photograph here is a cast, not the 1855 original.

The 1855 original and the sculptor

The statue was made by the sculptor Konstanty Hegel and dates to 1855, which makes it one of the older monuments tied to the square. Because the original bronze is fragile, it was moved to the Museum of Warsaw for protection, and the version standing outdoors today is a cast of that work. If you want to see the genuine 1855 figure up close and out of the weather, the museum around the square is where it now lives. The mermaid herself, as a symbol, goes back much further than the statue, appearing on Warsaw's coat of arms since medieval times.

Two mermaids in Warsaw

The Old Town statue is not the only Syrenka in the city. A second, larger mermaid monument stands on the Vistula boulevards along the river, and many visitors see both on the same trip, since the boulevards are within walking distance of the Old Town. The riverside figure is bigger and set against open water, while the Market Square version is more intimate and framed by architecture. Seeing the pair helps explain why the mermaid is treated as Warsaw's guardian rather than a single monument. For the wider picture of the district, see our Warsaw guide.

How it fits a visit

The statue works best as one stop inside a slow loop of the Old Town Market Square, combined with the surrounding townhouses, the nearby cathedral and the walk down to the river. It takes only a few minutes to view, so most people fold it into a longer Old Town walk rather than making a dedicated trip. The square is a natural meeting point, which makes the mermaid an easy landmark to navigate by. Arrive early or later in the day if you want photographs without crowds around the base.

Good to know

The statue on the square is a cast that you can see any time in the open air, while the fragile 1855 original is held at the Museum of Warsaw, so check the museum's official channels for its opening details if you want to see it.

Frequently asked questions

No. The figure standing outdoors is a cast. The fragile original, made by Konstanty Hegel in 1855, was moved to the Museum of Warsaw to protect it from the weather.

The Syrenka is the emblem and legendary protector of Warsaw and has appeared on the city's coat of arms since the late medieval period. The Old Town statue shows her with a sword and shield to represent that guardian role.

Yes. Besides the bronze figure on the Old Town Market Square, a second and larger mermaid monument stands on the Vistula boulevards by the river, and both are within walking distance.

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