Next stop: Singapore! After FC Bayern visited Tokyo from 24 to 29 July, the team under head coach Thomas Tuchel now head on to Singapore. fcbayern.com takes a closer look at the second venue in this year's Audi Summer Tour
Key facts about Singapore
Singapore is an island and city state and the smallest country in Southeast Asia in terms of area. The Lion City is made up of the main island, three bigger and 58 small islands. Singapore's population of 5.54 million, living in an area of 718 square kilometres, has four official languages: Tamil, Malay, Chinese and English. Malay is the national language and English the language of intercommunication, trade and administration. In addition, there is the local language of Singlish. This is a special dialect that is primarily spoken by the indigenous population and developed from standard English.
Name origin & landmarks of the city state
The name of the city state in Southeast Asia is made up of the two words Singha (lion) and Pura (city) and thereby means Lion City. According to legend, a prince from Palembang reached Singapore in 1299 and established the Singapura empire. Soon after arriving, he is supposed to have seen a lion in the dense jungle. Impressed by this encounter, he interpreted it as a good omen and decided to name the city Lion City from that point. As a result, the Merlion has been the symbol of the city state since 1964, a mythical creature with a lion's head and the body of a fish.
The most famous landmarks of Singapore
As one of the most modern states in the world, Singapore offers visitors a wealth of sights to visit. The Gardens by the Bay, seen as a refuge for nature lovers, are definitely a highlight that takes visitors into a futuristic and green oasis. The impressive Supertrees plus the gardens and their radiant lights create a spectacular sight, particularly at night with their magical panoply of lights. The historical past of Singapore comes to life in Chinatown. You can make your way through the colourful streets, visit traditional markets and try tasty traditional dishes. Another fascinating site is the Singapore Flyer. As one of the biggest Ferris wheels in the world, it offers visitors a unique view of the city’s breathtaking skyline.
Wide-ranging interest in sport
The city state also has great enthusiasm for a wide range of sports. In addition to football, sports like rugby, cricket, badminton and basketball are favoured by the people of Singapore due to the connection with the former British Empire. Singapore also hosts Formula One year after year. Since 2008, the best F1 drivers in the world have competed on the legendary Marina Bay Street Circuit in the city centre of the city state. The most successful driver on this course is the German Sebastian Vettel who has won the race five times in his career. Another sporting highlight is the annual Singapore Marathon that now counts as one of the runs in the world with the most participants.
FC Bayern return after six years
The German record champions will play at the Singapore National Stadium, built in 2014, for the third time for the Singapore Trophy against Liverpool (Wednesday, 2 August, 13:30 CEST). The Reds last visited the island and city state in 2017 as part of pre-season preparations. The team, then managed by Carlo Ancelotti, played Chelsea and Inter Milan. While the German record champions secured a 3-2 win against the Blues, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller and Co. lost 2-0 to the Nerazzurri.
Here is the lowdown on the FC Bayern Audi Summer Tour 2023:
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