Manta Crew celebrates at the feet of Havis Amanda on May Day Eve, April 30, 2026, in Helsinki. Photograph by TONY ÖHBERG for FINLAND TODAY. — Manta Crew celebrates at the feet of Havis Amanda on May Day Eve, April 30, 2026, in Helsinki. Photograph: TONY ÖHBERG/FINLAND TODAY

Tens of thousands (police estimate) gathered as close as they could of the statue of Havis Amanda, known as Manta, at the corner of the Market Square in Helsinki on a half-sunny and nearly windless Thursday evening.

The legendary sculpture was crowned with a large cap made of apple peels. The size was tailor-made to the exact measurements of Manta’s head—size 80! For reference, a typical student is size 50!

The Havis Amanda statue proudly rises to a height of about six meters. During the event, a crane elevated the crew to around ten meters. From this vantage point, the fragile statue, which has stood for over 119 years, was carefully cleaned, before the cap was ceremoniously placed atop Manta’s curls. This year, the honor of crowning the statue was given to the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY).

In the past, the students have not only floated in the basin at Manta’s feet, but have also ritually attempted to climb on top of her.

That ended in 2023, when the statue statue underwent its first thorough year-long conservation in roughly a century to repair cracks and reinforce its structure.

Following the restoration, the statue was returned to its original place.

The climbing is now banned, but that didn’t stop the Manta Crew from swimming, splashing water and sipping on some bubbly while thousands watched and smiled.