If you are planning a visit to Singapore within the near future and are hoping to take a photograph in front of one among the country’s most famous landmarks, the Merlion Monument, there can be a slight change in your plans.
Merlion Park, one among the country’s most famous landmarks, can be temporarily closed from September 25 to December 13. This is because of renovation works on the Merlion Monument. Therefore, it’s going to not be possible to take photos of this famous monument during this era.
During this era, the monument can be covered with scaffolding and no photos can be allowed, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced on Friday (September 22).
Maintenance works on the Merlion Monument lasted from July 27 to twenty-eight this 12 months. This routine work or inspection of the statue often takes several days.
Hazel Teh, director of compliance and company services at STB, explained that the remedial work includes repairing cracks on the statue and cleansing it.
Ms Teh added that the repair work will take greater than two months because it is more extensive than the standard routine maintenance of the monument. She also mentioned that the last renovation of the Merlion was in 2019 and the closure time at the moment was also 2.5 months.
The Merlion statue, a mixture of a lion’s head and a fish’s body, was originally made by local craftsman Lim Nang Seng. It was officially unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on September 15, 1972 and is situated on the mouth of the Singapore River.
However, after the development of the Esplanade Bridge in 1997, the statue’s visibility from the waterfront was reduced. In 2002, the Merlion statue was moved to Merlion Park, which is situated in front of the Fullerton Hotel and overlooks Marina Bay.
Meanwhile, a smaller nearby monument, often called “Merlion,” could be used for photos during several months of renovations.
Source: Strait Times | Asia News Channel
