The Merlion is Singapore’s most recognizable icon, a mythical creature with a lion’s head and a fish’s body that was designed in 1964 by Fraser Brunner, curator of the old Van Kleef Aquarium, as the logo for the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board. The lion head nods to the story of Prince Sang Nila Utama, who is said to have spotted a lion when he rediscovered the island and named it Singapura, or “Lion City,” while the fish body recalls Singapore’s origins as a fishing village.
The famous 70-tonne concrete statue at Merlion Park was unveiled in 1972 and stands at the mouth of the Singapore River, spouting water toward Marina Bay with the skyline of the Central Business District and the Marina Bay Sands resort as a backdrop. It has since become one of the most photographed spots in the country and a required stop for nearly every first-time visitor.
Merlion Park is free to enter and open around the clock, with no ticket or booking required, and the statue is especially striking after dark when the surrounding skyline lights up.