Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Medan (Indonesia). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: North Sumatra Museum, Maimun Palace, and Grand Mosque of Medan. Also, be sure to include Sri Mariamman Temple in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Medan (North Sumatra).
Table of Contents
North Sumatra Museum
The North Sumatra Museum or locally known as Northern Sumatra Museum, is a state-owned museum located along H.M Jhoni Street, Medan, Indonesia. This museum is the largest museum in North Sumatra and includes a variety of cultural heritage of Indonesia, as well as art and crafts from various ethnic groups in North Sumatra.[1]
Address: Hm. joni, Medan
Maimun Palace
Also known as: Istana Maimun
Historic palace with exhibits and vendors. Maimoon Palace or Maimun Palace is an istana of the Sultanate of Deli and a well-known landmark in Medan, the capital city of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Today, it serves as a museum. The name is the Arabic word for "blessing".
Built by Sultan Ma'mun Al Rashid Perkasa Alamyah in years 1887–1891, the palace was designed by the Dutch architect Theodoor van Erp and covers 2,772 m² with a total of 30 rooms. The Palace has become a popular tourist destination in the city, not solely because of its historical heritage status, but also because of its unique interior design of the palace, combining elements of Malay cultural heritage, Islamic and Indian architecture, with Spanish and Italian furniture and fittings.
It is the last surviving Melayu palace, the rest having been destroyed in the 1946 social revolution. Nearby British troops protected it.[2]
Address: Jalan Sultan Ma'moen Al Rasyid No.66, 20151 Kota Medan
Grand Mosque of Medan
Also known as: Masjid Raya Medan
Mosque in Medan, Indonesia. Grand Mosque of Medan or Masjid Raya Al-Mashun is a mosque located in Medan, Indonesia. The mosque was built in the year 1906 and completed in 1909. In beginning of its establishment, the mosque was a part of the Maimun palace complex. Its architectural style combines Middle Eastern, Indian and Spanish elements. The mosque has an octagonal shape and has wings to the south, east, north and west.[3]
Address: Jl. Sisingamangaraja No.61, 20212 Kota Medan
Sri Mariamman Temple
Also known as: Kuil Shri Mariamman
Hindu temple in Medan, Indonesia. Sri Mariamman Temple is Medan's oldest Hindu Temple. This temple was built in 1884 for the worship of Goddess Mariamman. The temple is situated in the area known as Kampung Madras or Medan's Little India. This temple is also devoted to the Hindu Gods Ganesha, and Murugan, children of Mariamman. The Gate is decorated by gopuram, namely storey tower which can usually be found at the gate of the Hindus temples in South India. The temple is a meeting point for worshippers during Thaipusam and Deevapali festivals.[4]
Address: Jl. Teuku Umar No.18, 20151 Kota Medan
Rahmat International Wildlife Museum & Gallery
Rahmat International Wildlife Museum & Gallery is a natural history museum in Medan, Indonesia. The museum displays various collections of wildlife from the smallest to the largest according to the habitat. After the development was completed in October 2007, the Museum & Gallery has an area of 2970 m² building.
Its founder is a fan of sport hunting and the conservation of nature. Through the museum, he invites visitor to better understand the diversity of wildlife that exist in the world and their importance.[5]
Address: Jl. S. Parman No.309, 20152 Kota Medan
Tjong A Fie Mansion
Also known as: Rumah Tjong A Fie
Mansion in Medan, Indonesia. Tjong A Fie Mansion is a two-story mansion in Medan, North Sumatra, built by Tjong A Fie a Hakka merchant who came to own much of the land in Medan through his plantations, later becoming 'Majoor der Chineezen' in Medan and constructing the Medan-Belawan railway.
Tjong A Fie is said to be related to Cheong Fatt Tze, who built the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang, Malaysia.
The building is constructed in Chinese-European-Art Deco style, and was completed in 1900. Although it has been stated in some sources to have been modeled on the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang, Malaysia, that mansion was not completed until 1904.[6]
Address: Jl. Jenderal Ahmad Yani No.105, 20111 Kota Medan
Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni
Indo-Mogul-style Catholic temple. Our Lady of Good Health Church, is a Marian shrine built in the Indo-Mogul style that opened in 2005 in Medan, Indonesia. It is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health, a Marian apparition dating from the 17th century in Velankanni, Tamil Nadu. The shrine is two floors high and has a small seven-floor tower in the Indonesian style. It is located on Jl. Sakura III, beside Jl. Simatupang. It is an important pilgrimage site in Asia.[7]
Address: Jl. Sakura III No.7, 20135 Kota Medan
Gunung Timur Temple
Also known as: Vihara Gunung Timur
Temple in Medan, Indonesia. Gunung Timur Temple is a Chinese temple which is the largest in the city of Medan, Indonesia and possibly also on the island of Sumatra. This temple was built in the 1962 and dedicated to Dongyue Dadi. This temple is located at Jalan Hang Tuah, about 500 meters from the Sri Mariamman Temple and is located on the side of Babura river.
This temple already served as the centre of faith for the Chinese community in Medan for many years and it was also one of Medan's multicultural icon, as there are an oldest Hindu temple Sri Mariamman temple and also a mosque named Masjid Agung nearby. This temple always be filled with worshippers on Imlek, Cap Go Meh days and Chit Gwee Pua festival.[8]
Address: Jl. Hang Tua 16, 20152 Medan
Sumatran Numismatic Museum
The Sumatran Numismatic Museum is a museum located in Medan, Indonesia. Established in 2017, the museum is dedicated to the history of money in Indonesia and houses a significant collection of objects.[9]
Tirtanadi Water Tower
Also known as: Menara Air Tirtanadi
Water utility company in Medan, Indonesia. The Tirtanadi Water Tower is a water tower dating back to 1908 in city of Medan, North Sumatra.[10]
Address: Jl Pandu no 1, Medan
Al-Osmani Mosque
Also known as: Masjid Al-Osmani
Mosque in Medan, Indonesia. Al-Osmani Mosque is a mosque in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The mosque is also known as Labuhan mosque because of its location in the district of Medan Labuhan. The mosque is located on the K.L. Yos Sudarso road, subdistrict of Pekan Labuhan, about 20 kilometers north of the city of Medan. In front of this mosque there are a school, named YASPI School and not far from the mosque there are a Chinese temple named Pekong Lima and in front of the temple there is a path that leads to Labuhan market. The mosque is the oldest in the city of Medan.
Masjid Al-Osmani was built in 1854 by the 7th of Deli sultan, Sultan Osman Perkasa Alam by using wood material. Then in 1870 to 1872 the mosque which was made of wood was built to be permanent building by child of Sultan Osman, Sultan Mahmud Perkasa Alam who also became the 8th Sultan of Deli.
Up to now, apart from being used as a place of worship, the mosque was also used as a memorial and celebration of religious holidays and the place of departure to the lodgment of mecca pilgrims that coming from northern areas of Medan. In this mosque, there are five royal cemetery buried the Tuanku Panglima Pasutan (4th Sultan of Deli), Tuanku Panglima Gendar Wahid (5th Sultan of Deli), Sulthan Amaluddin Perkasa Alam (6th Sultan of Deli), Sultan Osman Perkasa Alam, and Sulthan Mahmud Perkasa Alam.[11]