Merlion, Singapore
The half lion half mermaid figure aka Merlion is now a well known figure in Singapore. The Merlion was first designed to be used as an emblem for the Singapore Tourism Board in 1964. It was located at the Merlion Park by the Esplanade beach. Gradually it became one of the most popular tourist destinations in the island nation.
The Merlion is an eight meter tall structure built at Merlion Park, overlooking the Marina Bay, to welcome all visitors to Singapore. The structure of Merlion is a hybrid of lion and fish. The lion head reminds us of the fabled beast that once roamed the island of Singapore while the fish symbolizes the prosperity of Singapore sea port.
Merlion at Sentosa
There is a huge 37 m statue of Merlion at Sentosa with a trail popularly known as the Merlion Walk. The interior of the statue will really floor you. The theme is a sunken pirate sheep which is submerged in the waters with the jewels and treasures of the Bugis pirates all around. The Merlion also ‘roars’ every hour and you can even hear the ‘regular’ heartbeats. There is a viewing deck In the Merlion’s mouth which gives you a 360 degree view of the surrounding islands, the Singapore harbor and the horizon of the Indonesian archipelago.
At night there is a spectacular light, sound and water show accompanied by 3D laser images and a Musical Fountain Show. The Merlion with its entire mystical glow can even be seen from mainland Singapore and from the sea where the light from the Merlion acts as a beacon to attract the visitors to the island of Singapore.The statue of Merlion was built by Lim Nang Seng and he won several prizes for this in the Singapore Handicraft and Design competition held by the Singapore Tourism Board in 1970.
