The Mermaid who promised to defend the city

The Warsaw Mermaid is one of the city's oldest symbols. Her figure appears already on 14th-century seals, and today you can see her statue with a sword and shield on the Old Town Market Square.

Legend has it that the mermaid swam in the Vistula and sang so beautifully that fishermen decided to catch her. She was put on display at the market, but a young fisherman's daughter set her free. In gratitude, the mermaid promised from then on to protect the city and its people.

That is why Warsaw's coat of arms shows a mermaid with a sword — ready to defend the capital. To the people of the Old Town, she is more than a monument: she is a guardian who has watched over the city for centuries.