Merlion turns 50: Lesser-known facts about the Singapore icon

It has been photographed by many locals and tourists, at times in hilarious poses, and even turned into a superhero, joining hands with Ultraman to fend off monsters that threaten to attack Singapore's landmarks. Love it or loathe it, the Merlion is one of the icons of Singapore that is easily identified around the world, with replicas found at home and abroad.

Here are some lesser-known facts about Singapore's great water-spouting lion-fish hybrid, who turned 50 years old on Thursday.

A nod to Singapore's origins as a fishing village, the Merlion was created by British zoologist Alec Fraser-Brunner, then the curator of the now-closed Van Kleef Aquarium in River Valley Road.

The Merlion statue was built in 1972 by local sculptor Lim Nang Seng, based on a blueprint by artist Kwan Sai Kheong.

Mr Lim was commissioned to build the 8.6m-tall statue after he won several prizes in the Singapore Handicraft and Design Competition, organised by the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board, the predecessor of the Singapore Tourism Board. Mr Lim also designed Singapore's first batch of one-cent coins in 1967.

Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew unveiled the Merlion statue at its original position at the mouth of the Singapore River on Sept 15, 1972.

The Merlion was thrust into the international spotlight in 1987, when 68 Miss Universe contestants posed for a picture in front of the landmark. It was the only time Singapore hosted the Miss Universe pageant.

The Merlion was moved from its original position to its current site at One Fullerton in 1997, as the completion of the Esplanade Bridge blocked the statue from view from the waterfront.

The 70-tonne statue was transported by barge from the Singapore River, lifted over the new bridge via two 500-tonne cranes and back onto the barge at the other side before it made its way to its new home.

A chunk of the Merlion's mane fell off and struck its base when the statue was struck by lightning during heavy rain in February 2009.

Nobody was injured but the statue was closed for a month for repair, and to implement lightning protection measures.

The statue was transformed into a pop-up hotel in 2011 as part of an art installation by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi for the Singapore Biennale that year. The "Merlion Hotel" was a 100 sq m luxury suite that featured a double bed, balcony and dedicated butler.

The Merlion faces east, an auspicious fengshui (Chinese geomancy) orientation believed to bring prosperity. It has become a popular tourist spot and is known as one of the country's top free-access attractions.

Besides the main statue at One Fullerton, there are another five Merlions in Singapore. They are at: Mount Faber's Faber Point, Tourism Court in Grange Road, a pair at the entrance of the carpark in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, and one at Merlion Park.

The 2m-tall statue at Merlion Park was also built in 1972 by Mr Lim, and is commonly known as the Merlion Cub.

There are seven Merlion statues in Japan, including an 8.6m-tall version in Hakodate, one of the cities in Hokkaido. Merlion statues have also been seen on social media in India and Indonesia.

In honour of the Merlion's milestone birthday, The Straits Times invites you to reimagine the Merlion. What does it mean to you? How would it represent the Singapore of the present and the future? Put your creativity to the test by completing a graphic.

Submit your entries, along with your contact details, from now till 11.59pm on Sept 21 via this link: str.sg/merlion50