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Fairytales

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Copenhagen, Denmark

Stærekassen Passageway Mosaic

One of Scandinavia's largest mosaics pays tribute to Danish art and science luminaries.
Greve, Denmark

'The Little Match Girl'

With a bundle of matches in one hand and a mobile phone in the other, this sculpture is a modern take on Hans Christian Andersen's poignant fairy tale.
Soap Sally was always lying in wait to snatch idle children and turn them into soap and candles, according to regional folklore in Appalachia and the American South.
fairytales

Soap Sally, a Villain of Appalachia and the American South, Echoes Old World Evil

The wicked washerwoman, child murderer, and entrepreneur has parallels to Baba Yaga and other classic European folk figures.
Emma Cieslik October 30, 2023
fairytales

Podcast: Enchanted Woods

A Wilmington garden invites kids to drop screens and rules and just play.
The Podcast Team October 3, 2023
Michael Cleary claimed the human Bridget had been abducted when walking through a nearby "fairy fort," like this one in County Roscommon.
murder

Podcast: The "Changeling" Murder of Bridget Cleary

In March 1895, a husband murdered his wife after accusing her of being replaced by an evil fairy.
The Podcast Team September 12, 2023
abandoned

Podcast: Burj Al Babas

This perplexing abandoned housing development is part ghost town, part fairy tale.
The Podcast Team August 8, 2023
Odense, Denmark

'Stoppenålen' ('The Darning Needle')

This risqué sculpture, based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, caused outrage 35 years after it was erected.
Wilmington, Delaware

Enchanted Woods at Winterthur Gardens

An award-winning children’s garden enchants visitors at the intersection of natural beauty and fairy tales.
The pink mermaid sitting by the Alzette.
Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Melusina Statue

This magenta statue commemorates the legendary marriage between a mermaid and the city's founder.
Built sometime around the sixth or seventh century, this ring fort is tucked between hills and farms in a remote corner of northwestern Ireland.
fairytales

What Is a Fairy Fort?

In Ireland, fears about disturbing the fair folk have saved thousands of these mysterious ancient structures.
Sarah Durn February 2, 2023
Helsingør, Denmark

'Han' ('He')

The shiny silver little brother to Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue.
Yulia, the trapeze artist.
Bratislava, Slovakia

‘The Six White Mice’

A series of bronze circus performers spread throughout a Slovakian shopping center.
The cottage where Michael Cleary murdered his wife, Bridget, still stands in Ballyvadlea in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is shown here in an 1895 photograph.
murder

The Haunting True Story of Bridget Cleary’s “Changeling” Murder

There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore.
Sarah Durn October 21, 2022
Bratislava, Slovakia

Hans Christian Andersen Statue

A sculpture of the beloved author surrounded by characters from his fairy tales.
cemeteries

Podcast: Underwater Places

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team August 2, 2022
Hans Christian Andersen Grave
Copenhagen, Denmark

Hans Christian Andersen's Grave

The final resting place of the author who gave us the Little Mermaid, the Ugly Duckling, and many more beloved fairy tales.
Kiskirálylány
Budapest, Hungary

‘Kiskirálylány’ (‘Little Princess’)

A diminutive statue that was inspired by the sculptor's own daughter.
Hans Christian Andersen
Odense, Denmark

Submerged Sculpture of Hans Christian Andersen

After funding was cut for a memorial to the Danish author, the sculptor had his statue ceremonially lowered into the city harbor.