Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Segovia Sirenas de Segovia

Sirenas de Segovia

These "mermaids" that surround a plaza in Segovia are rather sphinx-like.

Segovia, Spain

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The sphinx-like mermaid of Segovia.   Romerin/CC BY 3.0
Sirena de Segovia   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
one of the mermaids   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
The “mermaid” sculpture in Plaza de Medina del Campo.   JoJan/CC BY 4.0
The “mermaid” of Segovia by Francisco Bellver.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Plaza de Medina del Campo, the Square of the Mermaids.   Romerin/CC BY 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Plaza San Martín, in the ancient city of Segovia, goes by another name: Plaza de las Sirenas, or the Square of the Mermaids. While the origins of its nickname remain unknown, part of the story can be explained by the mythological, sphinx-like sculptures that surround the plaza. These sculptures, known as sirenas, don’t really resemble mermaids at all. Bearing the heads of women and the bodies of lions, they appear to be mystical yet landlubbing sphinxes. 

In 1850, the city council commissioned sculptor Francisco Bellver y Collazos to create sculptures of mermaids to install around the square, as it had apparently been called the Plaza de las Sirenas since the Middle Ages. But Bellver had no sense of what mermaids might look like, nor did the people of Segovia (nor the city council, possibly). Sphinxes, however, do have a long presence in Spain from the times of the ancient Iberian peoples onwards and would have been instantly recognizable to most people. Two years later, after failing to meet the deadline, Bellver completed the sphinxes. The unlikely mermaids can still be seen in the plaza today—far from the ocean—flanking the statue of Juan Bravo.

Related Tags

Mermaids Mythology Statues Sculptures

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

Monsieur Mictlan, Xavixavir

  • Monsieur Mictlan
  • Xavixavir

Published

July 21, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.elnortedecastilla.es/segovia/201504/18/llamada-plaza-sirenas-segovia-20150418214102.html
  • http://segoguiados.eu/la-plaza-de-san-martin/
Sirenas de Segovia
3 Plaza San Martín
Segovia, 40001
Spain
40.948974, -4.121477
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Segovia Aqueduct

Segovia, Spain

miles away

The Selfie Devil

Segovia, Spain

miles away

Allegory of 'The Tree of Life'

Segovia, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Segovia

Segovia

Spain

Places 7

Nearby Places

Segovia Aqueduct

Segovia, Spain

miles away

The Selfie Devil

Segovia, Spain

miles away

Allegory of 'The Tree of Life'

Segovia, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Segovia

Segovia

Spain

Places 7

Related Places

  • Fontaine du Soleil

    Nice, France

    Fontaine du Soleil (The Sun Fountain)

    This saucy statue once caused outrage among locals.

  • The sculpture.

    Schönefeld, Germany

    'Der Fall Daidalos und Ikaros' ('The Case of Daedalus and Icarus')

    This curious sculpture represents the perseverance needed to take to the skies.

  • The mermaid and piano.

    Bahamas

    The Musician

    A full-scale sculpture of a mermaid and baby grand piano hidden underwater by David Copperfield.

  • Oksapoika - Branch Boy.

    Kuopio, Finland

    Branch Boy Sculptures

    A stick-sprouting statue watching a duo of disembodied dancing deities.

  • How would you have positioned this statue?

    London, England

    'The Naked Ladies'

    No one knows who created the statues or if they are arranged properly—let alone the artwork's real name.

  • Statue of Loreley

    Sankt Goarshausen, Germany

    Statue of Loreley

    A memorial for a young woman and her ghost, which are claimed to have caused countless deathly shipwrecks.

  • Girl in a Wetsuit, Stanley Park

    Vancouver, British Columbia

    'Girl in a Wetsuit'

    What happens when a sculptor has to find a way around a 100-year-old copyright.

  • Chocolate Orange

    York, England

    Terry's Chocolate Orange Sculpture

    A unique tribute to the chocolatey past that helped shape one British city.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.