Editing Warsaw (section)

===Warsaw Mermaid===
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{{Main|Coat of arms of Warsaw}}
[[File:Warsaw Sirene 1659.PNG|thumb|upright|The 1659 [[Coat of arms of Warsaw|coat of arms of Old Warsaw]] on the cover of one of Warsaw's accounting books]]

The mermaid (''syrenka'') is Warsaw's symbol<ref name=ucl/> and can be found on statues throughout the city and on [[Coat of arms of Warsaw|the city's coat of arms]]. This imagery has been in use since at least the mid-14th century.<ref name=Mermaid/> The oldest existing armed seal of Warsaw is from the year 1390, consisting of a round seal bordered with the Latin inscription ''Sigilium Civitatis Varsoviensis'' (Seal of the city of Warsaw).<ref name="herb"/> City records as far back as 1609 document the use of a crude form of a [[sea monster]] with a female upper body and holding a sword in its claws.<ref name=Bratosiewicz/> In 1653 the poet Zygmunt Laukowski asks the question:

{{Rquote|center|Warsaw of strong walls; why was the emblem Mermaid with sharp sword, given you by the kings?|Zygmunt Laukowski<ref>{{cite web |url=http://biega.com/syrena.html |title=Warsaw Mermaid&nbsp;– Syrena |access-date=10 July 2008 |archive-date=25 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625041430/http://biega.com/syrena.html |url-status=usurped }}</ref>}}

The Mermaid Statue stands in the very centre of Old Town Square, surrounded by a fountain. Due to vandalism, the original statue had been moved to the grounds of the Museum of Warsaw – the statue in the square is a copy.
This is not the only mermaid in Warsaw. Another is located on the bank of the Vistula River near Świętokrzyski Bridge and another on Karowa Street.

The origin of the legendary figure is not fully known. The best-known legend, by Artur Oppman, is that long ago two of [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]]'s daughters set out on a journey through the depths of the oceans and seas. One of them decided to stay on the coast of Denmark and can be seen sitting at the entrance to the port of [[Copenhagen]]. The second mermaid reached the mouth of the [[Vistula]] River and plunged into its waters. She stopped to rest on a sandy beach by the village of Warszowa, where fishermen came to admire her beauty and listen to her beautiful voice. A greedy merchant also heard her songs; he followed the fishermen and captured the mermaid.<ref name="legend"/>

Another legend says that a mermaid once swam to Warsaw from the [[Baltic Sea]] for the love of the Griffin, the ancient defender of the city, who was killed in a struggle against the [[Deluge (history)|Swedish invasions]] of the 17th century. The mermaid, wishing to avenge his death, took the position of defender of Warsaw, becoming the symbol of the city.<ref name="legend"/>

Every member of the [[Queen's Royal Hussars]] of the UK's light [[cavalry]] wears the ''Maid of Warsaw'', the crest of the City of Warsaw, on the left sleeve of his No. 2 (Service) Dress.<ref name=qohmuseum/> Members of [[No. 651 Squadron RAF|651 Squadron Army Air Corps]] of the United Kingdom also wear the ''Maid of Warsaw'' on the left sleeve of their No. 2 (Service) Dress.<ref name=RAF/>