Merlion Park and Statue, Singapore (must see)
No tour of Singapore is complete without seeing the Merlion and the small park surrounding it that caters well to the tourists visiting the city. An imaginary creature, half fish and half lion, the Merlion has been used as a mascot and national personification of Singapore since 1964. The fish body symbolizes Singapore's humble beginnings as a fishing village back in the day when it was called Temasek, while the lion's head, on the other hand, stems from the old tale about the city's present name 鈥淪ingapura鈥� which translates from Sanskrit as the "Lion City".
Curiously enough, lions with fishtails can also be found on murals at Ajanta and Mathura in India, as well as on Etruscan coins of the Hellenistic period. Merlions, or 鈥榟eraldic sea-lions鈥�, are an established element of Western heraldry, and have been used on the coat of arms of the cities of Portsmouth and Great Yarmouth in the United Kingdom, as well as the City of Manila and the East India Company.
While being one of Singapore's most kitschy of attractions, sitting near this 9-meter statue, that spouts water from its mouth, does provide commanding views of the Marina Bay area, as well as of the city skyscrapers and the Singapore Flyer (if standing on its right). If you鈥檝e already been to Raffles and got yourself a Singapore sling, well, a trip up the Merlion is the next logical step.
It can get really busy here but people come and go quite quickly so, with a little patience, you're bound to get a good shot of the statue. Better yet, try to enjoy the location more rather than worry about the perfect picture, and this place will definitely hit the spot.
Curiously enough, lions with fishtails can also be found on murals at Ajanta and Mathura in India, as well as on Etruscan coins of the Hellenistic period. Merlions, or 鈥榟eraldic sea-lions鈥�, are an established element of Western heraldry, and have been used on the coat of arms of the cities of Portsmouth and Great Yarmouth in the United Kingdom, as well as the City of Manila and the East India Company.
While being one of Singapore's most kitschy of attractions, sitting near this 9-meter statue, that spouts water from its mouth, does provide commanding views of the Marina Bay area, as well as of the city skyscrapers and the Singapore Flyer (if standing on its right). If you鈥檝e already been to Raffles and got yourself a Singapore sling, well, a trip up the Merlion is the next logical step.
It can get really busy here but people come and go quite quickly so, with a little patience, you're bound to get a good shot of the statue. Better yet, try to enjoy the location more rather than worry about the perfect picture, and this place will definitely hit the spot.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Singapore. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Merlion Park and Statue on Map
Sight Name: Merlion Park and Statue
Sight Location: Singapore, Singapore (See walking tours in Singapore)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Singapore, Singapore (See walking tours in Singapore)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Singapore, Singapore
Create Your Own Walk in Singapore
Creating your own self-guided walk in Singapore is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Colonial District Walking Tour
Singapore emerged as the British India Company's trading post in Southeast Asia in the early 19th century. The Colonial District of Singapore, also known as the Civic District, is a historical gem reflecting the island nation's colonial past. Spread across the banks of the Singapore River, the European-style buildings in the area attest to that period.
One prominent landmark here is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
One prominent landmark here is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Chinatown Walking Tour
Ethnic Chinese make up the majority of the Singaporean population. Therefore, it's no wonder that Chinatown is one of the top tourist destinations in the city. This vibrant and culturally rich neighborhood is steeped in history and tradition and is home to several iconic landmarks.
Undoubtedly, the most prominent of them is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum, housing a sacred relic... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Undoubtedly, the most prominent of them is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum, housing a sacred relic... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Singapore Introduction Walking Tour
Malay legend has it that a long time ago the Sumatran prince, who sought shelter from a storm, ended up on the island of Temasek where he saw a strange animal believed to be a lion. He then founded a city there and named it Singapura which in Sanskrit means the 鈥淟ion City鈥�. In the 14th century, Singapura found itself 鈥渂etween a rock and a hard place鈥� when the neighboring realms of Thailand... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
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