teradesa.com Each country has its own characteristics, one of which can be in the form of icons. The existence of landmarks makes a country easier to recognize.
Here are the famous icons in Southeast Asian countries:
1. Monas – Indonesia
The National Monument or popularly abbreviated as Monas or Tugu Monas is a 132 meter (433 feet) high memorial monument erected to commemorate the resistance and merit of the Indonesian people’s struggle for independence from Dutch East Indies colonial rule.
Construction of the monument began on August 17, 1961 under the orders of President Sukarno and was opened to the public on July 12, 1975. The monument is crowned with tongues of flame covered with gold plates that symbolize the spirit of the struggle.
The National Monument is located right in the middle of Medan Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta. The monument and museum are open daily from 08:00 – 15:00 West Indonesia Time. On Monday of the last week of each month.
2. Petronas Twin Towers – Malaysia
The Petronas Towers are two twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that were once the tallest buildings in the world judging by the height of the main entrance to the tallest part of the structure.
The towers were designed by Adamson Associates Architects, Canada together with Cesar Pelli of Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects of the United States and were completed 88 stories high in 1998 with an interior design that reflects the deep-rooted Islamic culture in Malaysia.
On October 17, 2003, Taipei 101 took the record for the twin towers, but the Petronas Twin Towers still hold the title of the tallest twin towers in the world.
3. Merlion Statue – Singapore
Singapore’s Merlion or sea lion statue is a lion-headed statue with a fish-like body, the name is a combination of a mermaid and a lion, the merlion was designed by Fraser Brunner for the Singapore tourism board in 1964 and used as its logo.
It wasn’t until 1997 that the then prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, inaugurated the Merlion’s installation ceremony in Singapore on September 15, 1997 that the Merlion remained its trademark emblem until now, and also frequently appears in souvenirs approved by the Singapore Tourism Board.
The original Merlion statue stands at the mouth of the Singapore River while a taller replica can be found on Sentosa Island, the Merlion is 8.6 meters tall and weighs 70 tons. The Merlion statue was built of cement by Singaporean artist Lim Nang Seng.
According to Singapore tourism board publications, this lion-headed, fish-bodied creature tells the story of the legendary Nila Utama who saw a lion while hunting on an island, on his way to Malacca, the island was later known as the port of Temasek, which later became Singapore.
4. Shwedagon Golden Pagoda – Myanmar
A pagoda is a sacred building, a place of worship for Buddhists. Pagodas are usually found in countries where the majority of the population is Buddhist. Well, one of them is the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon City, Myanmar.
Shwedagon has the meaning of each word: “Shwe” means gold and “Dagon” is the name of the city of Yangon. It is said that this pagoda is more than 2,000 years old, on top of this pagoda there is a gold-plated stupa, which is 99 meters high.
According to history, the pagoda was not originally gilded. However, after it collapsed, the pagoda was rebuilt. Only then was the stupa given a layer of gold weighing 40 kg.
Apart from being a place of worship, its attractive shape makes many people come there. Today, Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the famous tourist attractions in Myanmar. No wonder that many tourists, who visit there. However, since this is a sanctified place, visitors who come must obey the rules.
In Indonesia there is a replica of this pagoda. Precisely in the International Buddhist Center complex, Lumbini Nature Park, Dolat Rayat Village, Brastagi, North Sumatra.
5. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque – Brunei Darussalam
The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is the royal mosque of the sultanate of Brunei located in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei Darussalam. It is one of the most impressive mosques in the Asia Pacific, as well as a landmark and major tourist attraction in Brunei.
The mosque is named after Omar Ali Saifuddin III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei. The mosque, which dominates the cityscape of Bandar Seri Begawan, symbolizes the grandeur and glory of Islam, the majority and official religion of Brunei Darussalam. The building was completed in 1959 and is an example of modern Islamic architecture.
6. Grand Palace – Thailand
The Grand Palace is a palace building complex in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. The palace began construction in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, when he moved the royal capital across the river from Thonburi to Bangkok.
7. Angkor Wat – Cambodia
Angkor Wat is a temple located in the city of Angkor, Cambodia. The temple was built by King Suryawarman II in the mid-12th century. The construction of Angkor Wat temple took 30 years.
Angkor Wat is located on the Angkor plain which is also filled with beautiful temple buildings, but Angkor Wat is the most famous temple on the Angkor plain. King Suryawarman II ordered the construction of Angkor Wat.
According to Hindu beliefs that place Mount Meru as the center of the world and is the residence of Hindu deities, the central tower of Angkor Wat is the tallest tower and is the main tower in the Angkor Wat building complex.
8. Pha That Luang – Laos
A visit to the capital of Laos, Vientiane is incomplete without a visit to Pha That Luang. This site is actually a monastery with a gold-colored stupa. In 1975 Pha That Luang was designated as a Lao state icon. Until now the illustration of Pha That Luang is emblazoned on every sheet of Kip aka Lao currency, Pha That Luang is estimated to have been built in 1566.
9. Trump Tower Manilla – Philippines
Trump Tower Manila is a mixed used building which consists of 220 suite units, a 435 square meter penthouse, as well as various other luxury facilities such as a business center, restaurant, lounge and video room, library and others that will fill the 56-story building.
The tower’s design is also touted as the most advanced architectural work in the Philippines. Which, the entire exterior of the building is made of glass and steel frames, as well as sparkling curtains that further enhance its appearance in the middle of the capital city of Manila.
10. Christ Statue – Timor Leste
Many people say that you haven’t been to Timor Leste if you haven’t visited Cristo Rei (Christ the King), a spiritual tourist spot near the city of Dili with a 27-meter-high statue of Jesus standing on a globe as its main object.
The saying is widely believed by tourists who visit Timor Leste, so most people who have traveled there do not fail to visit the Cristo Rei statue or just take a photo with the background decorated by the statue from a distance.
Although Cristo Rei is a sacred place in Timor Leste, the local people often use this area as an area of worship on certain days.
But because of the size of this statue, the beautiful view of the sea and mountains from the top of the hill and the white sandy beach not far away, this place is always crowded with local and foreign tourists.
