Havis Amanda
| Havis Amanda | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| place | Kauppatori Square, Helsinki |
| country |
 Finland
|
| construction time | 1905-1908 |
| architect | Ville Vallgren (sculpture) |
| Technical specifications | |
| height | 5 m |
| diameter | approx. 8.5 m |
| Building material | Granite , bronze |
| Coordinates | |
| location | Coordinates: 60 ° 10 ′ 3 ″ N , 24 ° 57 ′ 5 ″ E 60 ° 10 ′ 3 ″ N , 24 ° 57 ′ 5 ″ E |
Havis Amanda (1905, height including the fountain basin 5 meters) is a bronze statue by Ville Vallgren that stands in the center of a fountain on the edge of Kauppatori Square in central Helsinki .
The bronze statue represents a mermaid who has decided to leave her home in the sea and go ashore. In Vallgren's imagination, Havis Amanda is the embodiment of Helsinki, the daughter of the Baltic Sea . It is therefore the soul of the city on the shore. He pictured her the moment she takes her first steps ashore. She throws one last look back over her shoulder at the sea.
The erection of the statue in 1908 caused quite a stir because of its pronounced curves and its nudity; it was requested that it be relocated to a less prominent place. Doctors found that the anatomy of the figure could not be right, and the sea lions placed around them also became a stumbling block because of their exoticism.
Havis Amanda, also known colloquially as Manta , is the focus of the celebrations on Vappu , the Finnish May Day . It is first washed by the students and then, accompanied by the cheers of thousands of spectators, a student cap is put on. It is one of Helsinki's student customs to kiss Amanda - despite the water.
Web links
- Helsinki Art Museum: Havis Amanda (Finnish)