Take a close look at the Suroboyo Monument, which essentially defines the essence of the city itself. Located in front of Surabaya Zoo, this statue depicts an epic battle between a shark and a crocodile. The monument is aptly named, as the words 'suro' and 'boyo' mean shark and crocodile, respectively, in Javanese.
Do you think that the title of this monument sounds strikingly similar to the name of the city? In fact, Surabaya derives its name from the symbolic enmity between these two creatures. It is said to represent the fact that life in Surabaya was always a fight to survive as dangers came from all directions; the ferocious shark swam the waters of the ocean, while the cunning crocodiles lurked in rivers on land.