The Mermaid (Syrenka) is the symbol of Warsaw — a half-woman, half-fish figure with a sword and shield. According to legend, a mermaid rested on the banks of the Vistula and was caught by a merchant; the young son of a fisherman freed her, and she promised to protect the city in return. She appears on Warsaw's coat of arms and has stood in the Old Town market square since 1855. The current bronze version replaced an earlier stone figure.
The mermaid on Castle Square (a different, older version) and this one are the two most photographed landmarks in Warsaw. Seeing them both makes a good excuse to walk between the two squares, through the lanes of the reconstructed Old Town.