Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairy tale, the statue of the Little Mermaid has long stood as a symbol of Copenhagen. Since 1913, the 1.5-meter-tall bronze sculpture has sat on a rock by the city's waterfront, drawing numerous visitors from around the world.
In 2010, the statue left Denmark for the first time in its history to take part in the Shanghai World Expo. Installed at the heart of the Denmark Pavilion, it attracted over five million visitors during the six-month event.