For centuries, mermaids have captured the imagination of sailors and ordinary people alike, fascinated by the idea of fish-people hidden beneath the waves. However, ideas about the nature of these underwater inhabitants have changed quite a bit over the years.
Even though the fantasy creatures are clearly fiction, there are still places around the world where you can visit mermaids in some form or another, whether they're Barnum hoaxes, the frolicking manatees that first inspired the myth, or even South Korean deep-sea divers who call themselves mermaids…
Tensho-Kyosho Temple. Fujinomiya, Japan
If the legends surrounding this nasty little goblin housed at the Tensho-Kyosho Temple in Japan are to be believed, it may be the oldest mermaid alive. The creature is said to be 1,400 years old. It appeared to a local prince one day, claiming to have once been a simple fisherman who had been cursed after fishing in sacred waters.
The mermaid is said to have asked the prince to build a temple as a reminder of her mistake and to put his cursed corpse on display for all to see. However, it is most likely just a disgusting effigy. After all, Japan has a long-standing cult of mermaids, “ningyo,” and “mermaid mummies” are especially prized.
Big Bend Power Plant Wastewater Pond. Apollo Beach, Florida
Perhaps one of the most unexpected places to see so-called mermaids is in the wastewater pool of a Florida power plant. It is widely believed that the mermaid myths were inspired by manatee sightings, as the bulbous, fleshy sea cows swam gracefully below the waves.
A large group of animals continue to do this today near the Florida Power Plant, as hot wastewater creates comfortable conditions for creatures that, from one point of view, are certainly a kind of unattractive mermaids. Contact with the animals is prohibited here, there is even a sign, but that does not stop anyone.
Fijian Mermaid at the Natural History Museum, Grafton, Vermont
This classic Fijian mermaid, housed at the quirky Vermont Natural Museum, has become, by all indications, a mass hoax. The terrifying beast has all the hallmarks of an F.M. Barnum hybrid. It is essentially a stitched-together fish tail, a desiccated human body, and unknown animal parts.
Although the “human” half is most likely a monkey. Unlike many Fijian mermaids, this specimen has whiskers, although it is difficult to say whether facial hair is a gender marker in the fake mermaid's physiology. It should be noted that this specimen is kept in storage in the basement of the museum, but is taken out from time to time.
Mermaids of Jeju. Jeju-si, South Korea
Unlike other creatures on this list, these South Korean Jeju “mermaids” are actually ordinary women who got their nickname because of their abilities.
According to local traditions, women from Jeju-si Island have always been underwater fishermen. Unfortunately, the traditional practice is close to dying out due to the younger generation leaving the island to work in big cities. As a result, all these “mermaids” are over 50, which is even more surprising.
Banff Waterman. Banff, Canada
Although he is considered a merman, you would hardly agree with him. This merman is very close in type to the Fijian mermaid. This merman-mermaid is located in a Canadian store and is known to have been either purchased or most likely created by the owner of the store, Norman Luxton. The monster with the creepy grimace is quite a far cry from the legend of the beautiful mermaid, but he is no less loved.
Vicky Wachi, Florida
Florida's “Mermaid Town” is perhaps the closest thing to an idealized Western version of mermaids in the flesh. Since 1947, the tiny town with a single-digit population has been home to a live mermaid show, where women with glittering tails swim in a giant aquarium fed by a natural spring. The small town's mayor is also a former mermaid, making Vicki Wachee possibly the only town in the world run by a mermaid.
The Little Mermaid. Copenhagen, Denmark
This is, of course, the quintessential mermaid, by which most people judge all other mermaids. The famous statue in Copenhagen was inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale about a pretty mermaid who falls in love with the surface world. The statue reflects the image of a mermaid as Western society knows them. A beautiful young girl on the surface, and a silent fish in her native underwater element. A classic.
But few people know that the Danish Little Mermaid, created in the image of the young ballerina Helen Price, is the most long-suffering monument in history. It is constantly subjected to acts of vandalism, despite all the efforts of the authorities.
