Medan

Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni

Catholic shrine with Tamil Hindu-style architecture, devoted to Our Lady of Good Health.

Closed · opens 8 am·Free

Great Mosque of Medan

Masjid Raya Medan or Masjid Raya Al Mashun

Built in 1906 and completed in 1909, the mosque was designed by a Dutch architect mixing Moroccan, European, Middle Eastern and Malay styles. During the month of Ramadan the whole Jalan Masjid Raya is closed to hold a night market where food and merchandise are sold. Women can visit, too, but they have to enter the central hall through a separate door and stay behind a provisory wall that separates the hall in two. Around the mosque is a graveyard for the sultan's extended family.

Free

Gunung Timur Temple

Vihara Gunung Timur

A Daoist temple of significant scale located about 500 m from Sri Mariamman Temple. It contains a large paved area with an impressively scaled incense burner, two covered badminton courts, a very large main hall and is partly surrounded by a moat and walls. It is particularly crowded with worshippers on Chinese New Year and Cap Go Meh.

Free

Maha Vihara Maitreya

One of the biggest Buddhist temple complexes in Medan, it is decorated with various statues of mythical Chinese creatures like dragons, kirin and phoenixes. To the left wing is a pond housing koi fish, while the right wing houses a playground, souvenir shop, a vegetarian canteen and a coffeehouse. The main hall houses statues of Buddha Sakyamuni, Bodhisattva and the Bodhisattva Satyakalama Avolokitesvara. As this is a holy site, always obey the regulations stated by the temple.

Open most the times·Free

Maimoon Palace

Istana Maimun

A royal palace of Sultanate of Deli, built by Sultan Makmun Al Rasyid Perkasa Alamsyah in years 1887–1891, the palace covers 2,772 m² and has 30 rooms. It has unique interior design, mixing elements of Malay cultural heritage, Islam, Spanish, Indian and Italian style. Only a small number of rooms can be visited, with a history of the sultan family and a few artefacts, portraits and photographs and partly occupied by shops. Quite busy and popular place with locals and tourists. Additional fee if want to get photos in traditional costume (Rp50,000). No English text.

Rp10,000

Medan Zoo

Kebun Binatang Medan

See critically endangered local fauna, Sumatran tiger. It is the only surviving tiger population in the Sunda Islands.

Closed · opens 8:30 am·Rp15,000 weekdays, Rp20,000 weekend

North Sumatra Museum

Museum Negeri Sumatra Utara

It is the largest museum in North Sumatra which displays various historical and cultural relics of the nation, arts and crafts from various ethnic groups in North Sumatra.

Tue-Sun, 08:30-16:00

Rahmat International Wildlife Museum & Gallery

Opened in 1999 and is chiefly the most incredible global taxidermy collection you could imagine. This place has to be seen to be believed - it's the sort of thing that could only happen in Asia! A veritable treasure-chest, it features numerous critters of sea, land and sky as well as the collected flotsam of the eccentric founding Afghan's life hunting big game, fishing, hob-nobbing and generally getting around the world. An obvious labour of love by Doctor Rahmat, who has since been installed as the chairman of the Indonesian Museum Association, this place is a small stay against the sea of Sumatran rain forests being destroyed and poached every year. Worth supporting against ill-contrived zoos otherwise found throughout the region.

Closed · opens 9 am·Rp50,000

Sikh Temple

Located in the old Chinese school 50 m to the right of the Shri Mariamman Tamil Hindu Temple, opposite the maternity hospital. After you walk in to the impressive grounds, turn to the left and walk behind the stairway. The humble temple hall is located to your left. Note: Do not enter without both permission and proper attire! There is supposed to be a larger one elsewhere in the city.

Free

Sri Mariamman Temple

Kuil Shri Mariamman

A Tamil Hindu temple. Beware: there are two of these! This one's the one on the corner not so far from town. The other one is down a long alley and is closed up. Featuring many brightly colored statues of all the major gods from the Tamil Hindu pantheon and a few naga stones, this temple is testament to the reach of the ancient Tamil maritime empire and the age of the Tamil community in Sumatra. Events regularly take place at this temple.

Free

Tirtanadi Water Tower

Menara Air Tirtanadi

One of Medan's icons, the water tower was built by the Dutch government in 1908 with a height of 42 m. It is state-owned by PDAM Tirtanadi.

Free

Tjong A Fie Mansion

Rumah Tjong A Fie

This mansion was built by an important businessman in Medan, a leader of the local Chinese community who formed several successful business ventures in his lifetime, working with both Dutch colonial authorities, Indonesian Muslims, plantation owners, exporters and worldwide traders of all stripes. Because of his substantial wealth and philanthropic activities involving mosques, hospitals, temples and orphanages, Tjong A Fie became a defining figure in the history of Medan. He worked to improve conditions for those on tobacco, rubber and other plantations, objecting to indentured servitude and other degrading work conditions for ethnic Chinese laborers. This colorful and ornately decorated building tells his story, and that of his descendants, as well as filling in some details about the city's past.

Rp35,000