Description

Essentials about Merlion Park in brief

It is both the national symbol and mascot of Singapore: the Merlion. The statue of this mythical figure, a mixture of a mermaid’s body and a lion’s head, today stands in the eponymous Merlion Park in the heart of Singapore and looks out over Marina Bay. A visit to the waterspouting Merlion statue, including a selfie, is of course a must on a trip to Singapore.

The Symbolism of the Merlion

The symbolism of the Merlion has a deeper meaning. The body of a mermaid symbolizes Singapore’s humble beginnings as a small fishing village, which at the time was still called Temasek, which means “sea town” in ancient Javanese. The lion’s head stands for Singapore’s original name Singapura, which means “lion city” in Malay.

The Merlion Statues

The 8.6 meter high and 70 ton statue was created by Singaporean artist Lim Bang Seng and inaugurated in 1972 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew at the mouth of the Singapore River to welcome visitors to the city. However, after the completion of the Esplanade Bridge in 1997, the statue was no longer easily visible from the riverbank, so the Merlion had to move to its current location in Merlion Park.

By the way, there is also a smaller Merlion statue in the park. Since it is only two meters high and weighs three tons, it is also affectionately called the Merlion baby by the locals. Merlion fans can find other statues of the mythical creature in Singapore, for example on Mount Faber or on Sentosa Island.

Website

Unavailable.

Opening hours

None.

Admission fees

None.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

MRT lines East West and North South: Stop Raffles Place

Bus lines 10, 10e, 57, 70, 75, 100, 107, 128, 130, 131, 162, 167, 196, 196e, 531, 656, 663, 665, 700, 850E, 868E, 951E and 971E: Stop Fullerton Sq

By car:

The nearest parking garage is the Esplanade Car Park.