Merlion Park sits at the mouth of the Singapore River and is home to the Merlion, an 8.6-metre statue of a mythical creature with a lion’s head and a fish’s body that has become Singapore’s national icon since it was unveiled in 1972.
Originally designed in 1964 by Fraser Brunner as an emblem for the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, the lion’s head references the lion Prince Sang Nila Utama reportedly saw when he rediscovered the island and named it “Lion City,” while the fish body nods to Singapore’s origins as a fishing village. The statue was relocated to its current pier in 2002 to preserve unobstructed waterfront views after the Esplanade Bridge was built.
The park is open 24 hours and offers a viewing deck stretching over the river, with skyline views of Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum; most visitors spend 30 minutes to an hour here taking photos before continuing along the waterfront.