The Užupis Mermaid was created by sculptor Romas Vilčiauskas in 2002 and sits in an alcove below a bridge across the Vilnia River. map
Užupis means “place beyond the river”. The river being referred to is the Vilnia River, also known as Vilnelė. Užupis is thus a special neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
In fact, Užupis declared itself an independent republic in 1997, so it has a strong sense of identity. It has been very popular with artists for a long time, and has a bohemic and laissez-faire atmosphere similar to Montmartre in Paris and Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen.
And one of the symbols of Užupis is this bronze mermaid.
The mermaid sits in this special alcove in the stone wall at the edge of the Vilnia River.
It is said that the mermaid attracts people from all over the world to Užupis, and that those who surrender to her charm remain in Užupis forever.
References:
● https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-mermaid-of-uzupis
● https://www.govilnius.lt/visit-vilnius/places/uzupis-mermaid
● The Mermaids of Earth coffee-table book: See page 75 in the book about this sculpture.
