The Mermaids of Drøbak – near Oslo in Norway – were created in bronze in 1999 by Reidar Finsrud and were then installed on the pier at the town’s marina. One of the mermaids seems to be rinsing out her hair, while the other two seem engaged in a lively discussion.
Factory owner Ingeborg Lane commissioned the sculptures and donated them to the town in memory of her time there and all the townsfolk who helped and worked in her business.
Drøbak – and the mermaids – are located on the edge of the Oslo Fjord at one of its narrowest sections, which has great history from WW II. From the marina and from the mermaids’ location, you can see across the water to Søndre Kaholmen, a small island very strategically located in the fjord. The island holds the Oscarbjorg Fortress, heavily fortified with cannons. On the morning of 9 April 1940, when the German Navy attempted to occupy Norway, the fortress sank the German flagship Blücher. This engagement – the Battle of Drøbak Sound – significantly delayed the German invasion and allowed Norway to evacuate its royal family, its parliament and its national treasure.
See more images and information on this page dedicated to these mermaids.
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