Image of the Day • The Legend Of The Merlion

People, places and captured moments selected from The Intentional Travelers photo collection.

Singapore’s mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish.

The Singapore Merlion is not however a centuries-old folklore monster, but rather a modern cultural icon designed in 1964 to represent Singapore’s historical roots and its identity.The two halves of the Merlion symbolize the meeting of Singapore’s past and present:The Lion Head: Represents Singapura (meaning “Lion City” in Sanskrit). According to the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals), a 14th-century Sumatran prince named Sang Nila Utama landed on the island and spotted a majestic creature he believed to be a lion, giving the city its ancient name. The Fish Body: Symbolizes Singapore’s humble origins as Temasek (meaning “sea town” in Javanese). This reflects the island’s beginnings as a small but vital fishing village.

Design and Creation: The concept was devised in 1964 by Alec Fraser-Brunner, a British ichthyologist and curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium, to serve as the logo for the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board (now the Singapore Tourism Board).

The Statue: The famous 8.6-meter-tall, 70-ton stone statue was sculpted by local craftsman Lim Nang Seng. It was officially unveiled by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on September 15, 1972.Relocation: Originally placed at the mouth of the Singapore River, the statue was moved in 2002 to the nearby Merlion Park after the Esplanade Bridge obstructed the view from the waterfront.