Description of the attraction
The Warsaw siren is a symbol of the city of Warsaw, depicted on the coat of arms of the city. The first image of a siren appeared in 1390. Then the siren was completely different: with the legs of a bird and the body of a dragon. In 1459, the image changed: the bird's legs were replaced by a fish tail, a human body and bird paws with sharp claws.
It is believed that the adoption of such a coat of arms was a tribute to medieval fashion, which recommended choosing mythical creatures as symbols of cities. There is an urban legend about the appearance of a mermaid:
A long time ago, two sisters swam from the Atlantic Ocean to the Baltic Sea - sirens, beautiful women with fish tails, living in the depths of the seas. One of them, caught in Danish waters, remained sitting on a rock at the entrance to the port of Copenhagen. The second sister sailed to the shores of Gdansk, and then found herself in the waters of the Vistula and swam to the Old Town. A wealthy merchant, hearing the beautiful singing of a mermaid, caught her for profit. He imprisoned her in a wooden shed with no access to water. The cry of the siren was heard by the young son of the fisherman and at night he freed the mermaid. Siren, in gratitude for the fact that people protected her, promised to defend Warsaw if necessary. That is why the siren is armed - she holds a sword and a shield to defend the city.
Currently, two siren monuments can be seen in the Polish capital. The sculpture is installed in the market square of the Old Town and is the work of the sculptor Konstantin Hegel. The second monument is located on the embankment next to Tamka Street. This sculpture was created by Ludwig Nochov in 1939.
