Merlion Park ( ms, Taman Merlion, zh, 鱼尾狮公园, ta, மெர்லயன் பூங்கா) is a famous Singapore landmark and a major tourist attraction, located at
One Fullerton,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, near the
Central Business District
A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
(CBD). The
Merlion
The Merlion () is the official mascot of Singapore. It is depicted as a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Being of prominent symbolic nature to Singapore and Singaporeans in general, it is widely used to repre ...
is a mythical creature with a lion's head and the body of a fish that is widely used as a mascot and national personification of Singapore. Two
Merlion
The Merlion () is the official mascot of Singapore. It is depicted as a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Being of prominent symbolic nature to Singapore and Singaporeans in general, it is widely used to repre ...
statues are located at the park. The original Merlion structure measures 8.6 meters tall and spouts water from its mouth. It has subsequently been joined by a Merlion cub, which is located near the original statue and measures just 2 metres tall.
History
The original Merlion Park was first designed by the
Singapore Tourism Board
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Government of Singapore, tasked to promote the country's tourism industry.
History
The board was first established on 1 January 1964 and wa ...
(STB) near the mouth of the
Singapore River
The Singapore River is a river that flows parallel to Alexandra Road and feeds into the Marina Reservoir in the southern part of Singapore. The immediate upper watershed of the Singapore River is known as the Singapore River Planning Area, altho ...
in 1964 as an emblem of Singapore. On 15 September 1972, the park was officially opened at an installation ceremony for the statue, officiated at by then Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean lawyer and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and Secretary-General o ...
. The original statue of the Merlion used to stand at the mouth of the
Singapore River
The Singapore River is a river that flows parallel to Alexandra Road and feeds into the Marina Reservoir in the southern part of Singapore. The immediate upper watershed of the Singapore River is known as the Singapore River Planning Area, altho ...
. The building of the Merlion was started in November 1971 and was completed in August 1972. It was crafted by the late Singaporean sculptor, Mr Lim Nang Seng and his 8 children. The sculpture measures 8.6 meters high and weighs 70 tons.
This massive statue with the spouting stream was constructed by Stanley Mok
Relocation of Merlion
Upon the completion of the Esplanade Bridge
The Esplanade Bridge is a 261-metre-long (850 ft.) road bridge that spans across the mouth of the Singapore River in Singapore with the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay on its northern abutment and the Merlion on the southern.G. Chandradas, ...
in 1997, the original Merlion Park location was also no longer the entrance of Singapore River and the statue could no longer be viewed clearly from the Marina Bay Waterfront. On 23 April 2002, the statue was relocated to a new pier specially built on the other side of The Esplanade Bridge adjacent to The Fullerton hotel
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is a five-star luxury hotel located near the mouth of the Singapore River, in the Downtown Core of the Central Area, Singapore. It was originally known as the Fullerton Building, and also as the General Post Offi ...
. The move, which cost $7.5 million, was completed on 25 April 2002. On 15 September 2002, then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean lawyer and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and Secretary-General o ...
ceremonially welcome the Merlion again on its new location, the current Merlion Park, which is four times bigger than the original site
Site most often refers to:
* Archaeological site
* Campsite, a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area
* Construction site
* Location, a point or an area on the Earth's surface or elsewhere
* Website, a set of related web pages, typically ...
.
Merlion statue damage
On 28 February 2009, between 4 pm and 5 pm, the Merlion statue was struck by lightning. Staff in the vicinity said they heard an explosion followed by a loud thud when broken pieces fell to the ground. Repairs were completed in March that year, the Merlion itself resumed spouting water on 18 March 2009.
Restoration Works
During restoration, the Merlion statue would be closed off throughout the whole restoration process. The sculpture would be cleaned thoroughly, and new plaster or paint would be put on the Merlion to keep the Merlion looking bright and clean. Occasionally fillers are used for the cracks and hollow areas of the Sculpture.
Gallery
File:Signs to Lau Pa Sat and Merlion Park, Singapore - 20141019.jpg
File:Merlion Park, Dec 05.JPG
File:Singapore Merlion-at-Marina-Bay-02.jpg
File:2016 Singapur, Downtown Core, Merlion (03).jpg
File:Singapore Merlion-at-Marina-Bay-03.jpg
File:Merlion statue, Merlion Park, Singapore - 20110723.jpg
File:Time-lapse video of the Merlion statue, Merlion Park, Singapore - 20160614.webm
File:Merlion Park.JPG
File:Merlion Park 3.JPG
File:Merlion Park5.JPG
File:Merlion Park2.JPG
File:Merlion 2.jpg
File:Singapore - Merlion 0005.jpg
File:The Merlion.jpg
File:SG-riverside-merlion.jpg
File:SG haze-merlion.JPG
File:2016 Singapur, Downtown Core, Merlion (01).jpg
File:SG-marina-bay-sands-hot-merlion-fullerton.jpg
See also
*Merlion
The Merlion () is the official mascot of Singapore. It is depicted as a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Being of prominent symbolic nature to Singapore and Singaporeans in general, it is widely used to repre ...
* Former Merlion Park
References
External links
News Asia Singapore
{{Parks in Singapore
Marina Bay, Singapore
Places in Singapore
Tourist attractions in Singapore
Fountains in Singapore
Sculptures of lions