THE MERLION, A HALF-FISH, HALF-LION BEAST, IS A FITTING SYMBOL OF SINGAPORE. THE “SINGA” OR LION REPRESENTS THE ANIMAL THAT A SUMATRAN PRINCE SAW WHICH RESEMBLED A LION, AND THE FISH IS A TRIBUTE TO SINGAPORE’S HISTORY AS “TEMASEK”, THE ANCIENT SEA TOWN.
SINGAPORE IS AMONG THE 20 SMALLEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, WITH A TOTAL LAND AREA OF ONLY 682.7 SQUARE KILOMETRES. NO BUILDING IN SINGAPORE MAY BE TALLER THAN 280 METRES. THE THREE TALLEST BUILDINGS IN SINGAPORE NAMELY REPUBLIC PLAZA, UOB PLAZA ONE AND OUB CENTRE, ARE ALL 280 METRES IN HEIGHT.
THE MARINA BAY SANDS IS SINGAPORE FIRST CASINO, BEING DEVELOPED BY ONE OF THE WORLD BIGGEST GAMBLING COMPANIES, LAS VEGAS SANDS, AT MARINA SOUTH IN CENTRAL SINGAPORE. THE TOTAL COST OF THE DEVELOPMENT IS PLACED AT $S8.0 BILLION WHICH BY MOST ESTIMATES WILL MAKE IT THE MOST EXPENSIVE CASINO IN THE WORLD.ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN HAS BEEN SAID TO HAVE AN APPEARANCE SIMILAR TO EITHER A DURIAN (A TROPICAL FRUIT) OR THE EYES OF A FLY. MANY SINGAPOREANS CASUALLY REFER TO THE ESPLANADE AS “THE DURIAN”.
THE ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY IS A WATERSIDE BUILDING LOCATED ON SIX HECTARES OF WATERFRONT LAND ALONGSIDE MARINA BAY NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE SINGAPORE RIVER, PURPOSE-BUILT TO BE THE CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS FOR THE ISLAND NATION OF SINGAPORE. THE UNIQUE
THE SINGAPORE FLYER IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST OBSERVATION WHEEL. STANDING AT A STUNNING 165M (APPROXIMATELY 42 STOREY) FROM THE GROUND. THE FLYER OFFERS YOU BREATH-TAKING, PANORAMIC VIEWS OF SINGAPORE’S MARINA BAY AND BEYOND.
