Merlion statue is not only the highlight of the park but also the nation. Merlion is considered as the icon of Singapore. It is a mythical creature with a lion’s head and fish’s body. Its name is the combination of “mer” (meaning the sea) and “lion”. The lion head represents Singapore’s original name — Singapura — meaning “lion city”. The fish body represents Singapore’s origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means “sea town”.