Origins of the Merlion

Instead, it was born out of a very practical need for a logo for Singapore’s Tourism Board (STB) in 1964, and was actually the tourism board’s official logo for more than 30 years. The Merlion was also used as a national icon, to promote Singapore as a tourist destination.As for who created the Merlion, it was a British ichthyologist named Alec Fraser-Brunner, who was also the curator of the now-defunct Van Kleef Aquarium. He was known for his work with marine life and his keen creative eye, as evidenced by his work at the aquarium.

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Symbolism of the Merlion

Fraser-Brunner’s choice in designing the Merlion to have the head of a lion and the body of a fish was definitely no coincidence.Both pay homage to facets of Singapore’s history: the lion’s head is a reference to the legend of Singapore’s founding in the Malay Annals, when Sang Nila Utama spotted a lion at the mouth of the Singapore River when he first arrived in Singapore; while the fish’s body calls to mind Singapore’s origins as a sleepy fishing village.

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Modern Significance of the Merlion

Singaporeans have also adopted the Merlion as a symbol of home, our little country that could and did. It’s often used to represent Singapore on the international stage as an instantly-recognisable form of branding, such as on sports teams, global advertising campaigns, and even in popular culture (spot the Merlion in the Crazy Rich Asians movie!)In fact, a study conducted by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) some years back showed that Singaporeans had a similar emotional response to the Merlion as the Chinese had to the terracotta warriors of Xi’an, and Americans had to the Statue of Liberty.

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Where You Can See the Merlion in Singapore

But undoubtedly, the best place to see the Merlion in its full glory is at the eponymously named Merlion Park; a waterfront promenade at the bay area of Singapore overlooking the Singapore River.There, two Merlion statues-one standing at a statuesque 8-metres with water spouting out of its mouth, the other smaller one standing beside it and affectionately named the “Merlion cub”-stand watch over the mouth of the river.Other places you can spot the Merlion in Singapore include Mount Faber, STB’s office at Tourism Court, and a public car park at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.

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Fun Facts About the Merlion!

STB currently holds the rights to the image of the Merlion. There are pretty strict rules restricting its use in certain circumstances, so you’ll want to read that here if you were thinking of incorporating the catchy mascot in any of your commercial endeavours to show your love for Singapore.

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