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All Singapore Merlion

Merlion

This statue once earned the distinction as one of the "Three Major Disappointments of the World."

Singapore

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Fred Cherrygarden
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A rear view of the Merlion statue and Marina Bay Sands.   fad3away
Merlion Park, Singapore.   Bjørn Christian Tørrissen
The Merlion of Singapore.   Bernard Spragg
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Merlion   gingerstash / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Merlion Cub just after repositioning   MarkTimeTravel / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
The Merlion and the Esplanade building   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
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The water-spewing Merlion is the official mascot of Singapore. However, along with the Little Mermaid of Copenhagen and the Manneken Pis statue of Brussels, it's also known as one of the "Three Major Disappointments of the World."

The massive statue earned this moniker following its installment in 1972. Not long after, the statue's pumping system jammed and stopped spouting water for nearly three decades. The front view of the fountain was also obscured from tourists by a bridge. The pump was fixed in 2002 and a new pedestrian bridge was later constructed for observation. Since these additions, the statue's popularity has gradually returned.

Despite its symbolic status, the Merlion is not based on local mythology. It was designed in 1964 by Alec Fraser-Brunner, a member of the Souvenir Committee and curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium. The symbol was originally the logo for the tourism board. It represents the island city-state of Singapore, inspired by the country's history and name, which means "lion city."

In 2009, the Merlion was struck by lightning, but no one was hurt and the statue was restored in a month. Today, the structure has spawned numerous imitations across Asia. 

Although its water pump still jams from time to time, visitors won't be disappointed by this magnificent structure. 

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Statues Fountains Architectural Oddities History & Culture Architecture

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Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

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vhshen, MarkTimeTravel, Collector of Experiences, katielou106...

  • vhshen
  • MarkTimeTravel
  • Collector of Experiences
  • katielou106
  • gingerstash
  • 8xhfxq8q8w

Published

April 17, 2020

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Merlion
1 Fullerton Rd
049213
Singapore
1.286789, 103.854501

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