'Syrenka' - Powiśle Warsaw Mermaid

Possibly the second most famous statue of the city's symbol. This 2.75m tall bronze monument was created by sculptor Ludwika Nitschowa and unveiled on June 29, 1939. Her model was 23-year-old poet and ethnography student, Krystyna Krahelska, but allegedly Ludwika changed her face slightly because she didn't want Krystyna to feel intimidated. Considering Warsaw's wartime destruction, it's quite remarkable that the Powiśle Mermaid made it through with only minor damage, perhaps owing to its riverside location.