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Havis Amanda is a fountain and a statue in Helsinki, Finland by the sculptor Ville Vallgren (1855–1940). The work was modelled in 1906 in Paris, and erected at its present location at the Market Square in Kaartinkaupunki in 1908. Today it is recognized as one of the most important and beloved pieces of art in Helsinki.
Vallgren himself simply called the work Merenneito (), but it quickly started to get additional nicknames. The Finland-Swedes newspapers dubbed it Havis Amanda and the Finnish Haaviston Manta or simply Manta. Havis Amanda is the common name used in brochures and travel guides.
Every year on Vappu, Manta serves as a centrepiece for the celebrations. Students of the local universities place a student cap on the head of the statue in an elaborate ceremony called " Mantan lakitus" ("The capping of Manta").
In 2002 Spencer Tunick organized a photoshoot of voluntary nude Finns, of whom almost 2000 showed up, posing around the statue as part of his Nude Adrift, Finland 3 project. In 2014 artist Tatzu Nishi constructed a temporary hotel setting around the statue called Hotel Manta where visitors could see the statue in a new, unusual setting.
There are fears of the old and hollow statue possibly breaking from people climbing on it. In 2019 there were calls from officials to limit celebrations and climbing on the statue. During 2020's Vappu, out of concern for the COVID-19 pandemic, the city and the police decided to fence off the statue for the time being and directed the public towards a digital version of capping the statue.
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Categories: Statues And Sculptures In Helsinki, Kaartinkaupunki, 1906 Sculptures, Outdoor Sculptures In Helsinki, Art Nouveau Sculptures And Memorials, Bronze Sculptures In Finland, Nude Sculptures Of Women, Fountains In Finland, Art Nouveau Architecture In Helsinki, 1908 Establishments In Finland, Walpurgis Night Traditions
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