Rumah Gadang, a Cultural Heritage Hilled with Artistic Value

Rumah Gadang or Rumah Godang is the name for Minangkabau traditional house which is a traditional house and many in meet in the province of West Sumatra, Indonesia. This house is also called by another name by the local community by the name of Bagonjong House or there is also a mention by the name of Rumah Baanjuang.

Houses with this model are also commonly found in western sumatra, but not all areas in Minangkabau (darek) may be established this traditional house, only in areas that already have the status as nagari alone Rumah Gadang this can be established. Likewise in the area called the rantau, this traditional house was also formerly not established by the Minangkabau migrants.

Function

Rumah Gadang as a place to live together, has its own provisions. The number of rooms depends on the number of women living in them. Every woman in that family who has married acquires a room. While elderly women and children have a place in the room near the kitchen. Teenage girls get rooms together at the other end.

All the inside of Rumah Gadang is a room off except the bedroom. The interior is divided into lanes and spaces marked by poles. The pole ran from face to back and from left to right. The poles that ran from front to back mark the lanjar, while the pole from left to right marks space. The number of lanjars depends on the size of the house, two, three and four. The space consists of an odd number of between three and eleven.

Rumah Gadang is usually built on a plot of land belonging to the parent family in the tribe / kaum is hereditary and is only owned and inherited from and to women in the people. In front of Rumah Gadang there are usually two Rangkiang buildings, used to store rice. Rumah Gadang on the right wing of the building and left there is anjung space (Minang language: anjuang) as a place of bride bersanding or place of customary head coronation, therefore Gadang home also named as Baanjuang house. Anjung on kelarasan Koto-Piliang wearing buffer rod, while on the latter Bodi-Chaniago not wear a support stick under it. This is in accordance with the philosophy adopted by these two different groups, the first group embraces the hierarchical principle of government using anjung that uses a buffer rod, on the second group anjuang as if floating in the air. Not far from the Rumah Gadang complex is usually also built a surau of the people who function as a place of worship, place of education and also at the same time become the residence of adult men of the unmarried.

Architecture

This traditional house has the uniqueness of the architectural form with a pointy roof shape that resembles buffalo horns and formerly made of fibers that can hold up to tens of years, but later this roof of many houses changed with a tin roof. Rumah Gadang is made in rectangular shape and divided into two parts, face and back. The front of Rumah Gadang is usually full of ornate carvings and is generally patterned with roots, flowers, leaves and rectangular and parallel fields. While the rear exterior coated with bamboo hemisphere. This traditional house is constructed of long columns, large house-made buildings, but not easily broken by shocks, and every element of Rumah Gadang has its own meaning which is underlaid by the existing tambo in the customs and culture of the local community.

In general, Rumah Gadang has one ladder located on the front. While the kitchen is built separately on the back of the house attached to the wall.

Because Minangkabau area is prone to earthquake since it used to be in the mountains of Bukit Barisan, the architecture of Rumah Gadang also takes into account the design that is earthquake resistant. The whole pole of Rumah Gadang is not implanted into the ground, but it rests on a flat, wide, flat rock. All the connections for each large pole and raft (kaso) encounter do not wear nails, but use pegs that are also made of wood. When the earthquake occurs Rumah Gadang will move flexibly like dancing on a flat stone where a milestone or pole stands. Similarly, every connection connected by the wooden pegs also moves flexibly, so that the constructed Gadang House will be impervious to the earthquake.

Carving

On the part of the House Gadang made of board material, while the back of the bamboo material. The wall board is mounted vertically, while all the boards that become walls and frames are engraved, so the entire wall becomes full of carvings. The placement of the carving motif depends on the arrangement and the location of the board on the Gadang House wall.

Basically carving on Rumah Gadang is a decoration of filler fields in the form of circular or square lines. The motif is generally vines, roots that are leafy, flowering and fruiting. Root patterns are usually in the form of circles, roots aligned, coincide, interwoven and also connect. Branch or root branch cuddle outward, inward, upward and downward.

Besides root motif, other motifs encountered are geometric motifs with triangle, four and parallelogram. Leaf, flower or fruit motif can also be carved individually or in a row.

Making process

According to its tradition, the main pole of Rumah Gadang, called tuo's four pillars, is taken from the forest in a mutual way by the nagari children, especially the kin, and involves dozens of people. The trunk of the felled tree is usually a juha tree that is old and straight with a diameter between 40 cm to 60 cm. Juha tree is famous for hard and strong. Once brought into the tree nagari is not directly in use, but soaked in the pond belongs to the people or large families for many years.

After enough time the tree trunk is lifted or raised to be used as a tuo milestone. The procession raised / planted the tree is also called as mambangkik tarandam rod (raising a soaked tree), then the process of building Rumah Gadang continues to the next procession, set up tuo pole or main pillar as many as four pieces, which is seen as enforcing greatness.

The House of the Five Senses in Holland adopting the Minangkabau Gadang House design.

The Malaysian Pavilion at the World Shanghai Expo 2010 adopted the design of Rumah Gadang Negeri Sembilan.

The tree trunk that has been soaked for years is then very hard and can not be eaten by termites, so it can survive as a milestone tuo or main pole for hundreds of years. Soaking the tree trunks that will be a tuo milestone for many years is one of the keys that make traditional Gadang Houses able to survive for hundreds of years across the ages.

Adoption

The uniqueness of the curved and tapered roof shape of Rumah Gadang has inspired several architects in other parts of the country, such as Ton van de Ven in the Netherlands adopting the design of Rumah Gadang in The House of the Five Senses. The building that was operated since 1996 was used as the main gateway of the Efteling Entertainment Park. The 52-meter building and 4500-square-meter roof area is a wooden construction with the largest thatched roof in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records.

The design of Rumah Gadang which is widely available in Negeri Sembilan was also adopted in the building of the Malaysian pavilion at the World Shanghai Expo 2010 held in Shanghai, China in 2010.

Symbol

Gonjong (curved and tapered roof) The Gadang House becomes a symbol or icon for the Minangkabau community in addition to other icons, such as black-red-yellow-gold, rendang, and others. Almost all government offices in West Sumatra use the design of Rumah Gadang with gonjongnya roof, although built permanently with cement and stone. Gonjong icon is also used in the front of the restaurant Padang in various places outside of West Sumatra. Logo-logo of Minang institutions or associations are also many who wear icons gonjong with all the variations.

Padang City, a famous city in Indonesia with delicious cuisine

Padang City is the largest city on the west coast of Sumatra Island as well as the capital city of West Sumatra province, Indonesia. This city is Indonesia's western gateway from the Indian Ocean. Padang has an area of 694.96 km² with geographical conditions bordering the sea and surrounded by hills with an altitude of 1,853 meters above sea level. Based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) of Padang City in 2016, the city has a population of 902,413 inhabitants. Padang is the core city of Palapa metropolitan area development.

The history of the city of Padang is inseparable from its role as the Minangkabau rantau area, which originated from the fishing village of Batang Arau estuary and developed into a bustling port city after the Dutch entry under the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) banner. This city's anniversary was set on August 7, 1669, which was the day of the upheaval of Pauh and Koto Tangah people against the VOC monopoly. During the Dutch occupation, the city became a center of trade in gold, tea, coffee and spices. Entering the 20th century, coal and cement exports began to be conducted through Teluk Bayur Port. Currently, the infrastructure of Padang City has been completed by Minangkabau International Airport, as well as the railway line connected with other cities in West Sumatra.

The city's commerce center is located at Pasar Raya Padang, and is supported by a number of modern shopping centers and 16 traditional markets. Padang is one of the leading educational centers outside of Java, supported by the presence of dozens of universities, including three state universities. As a city of art and culture, Padang is known as the legend of Malin Kundang and Sitti Nurbaya, and annually organizes festivals to support the tourism sector. Among the people of Indonesia, the name of this city is generally associated with ethnic Minangkabau and their typical cuisine which is commonly known as Padang cuisine.

The history of the padang city

There is no definitive data on who named this city Padang. It is estimated that this city was originally a field or a very wide plain so called Padang. In Minang language, the word padang can also mean sword.

According to the local tambo, this area of the city was once part of a rantau area established by Minangkabau monagers from the Minangkabau Highlands (darek). Their first settlement was a village on the southern outskirts of Batang Arau in what is now Seberang Padang. The new villages then opened northwards to the initial settlement, all of which included Kenagarian Padang in the Nan Dalapan Suku custom; namely Sumagek (Chaniago Sumagek), Mandaliko (Chaniago Mandaliko), Panyalai (Chaniago Panyalai), and Jambak from Bodhi-Chaniago Boduan, and Sikumbang (Tanjung Sikumbang), Balai Mansiang (Tanjung Balai-Mansiang), Koto (Tanjung Piliang ), and Malayu from Koto-Piliang's Koto. There are also migrants from other coastal oceans, namely from Painan, Pasaman, and Tarusan.

Like other Minangkabau rantau areas, initially the area along the west coast of Sumatra was under the influence of the Pagaruyung Kingdom. [8] However, at the beginning of the 17th century this region has become part of the sovereignty of the Aceh Sultanate. The presence of foreign nations in the city of Padang began with the visit of English sailors in 1649. The city then began to develop since the presence of the Dutch under Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) in 1663, accompanied by migration of Minangkabau population from luhak area.

In addition to having a good estuary, the VOC is interested in building new ports and settlements on the west coast of Sumatra to facilitate access to trade with the inland Minangkabau. Subsequently in 1668, the VOC succeeded in expelling the influence of the Aceh Sultanate and instilling its influence along the western coast of Sumatra, as is known from Regent Jacob Pits' letter to King Pagaruyung containing requests for re-trade and distributing gold to the city. VOC succeeded in developing Padang City from the fishing village into a metropolitan city in the 17th century. Padang becomes a bustling port city for gold trading, tea, coffee and spices. In further development, on August 7, 1669 there was an upheaval of the Pauh and Koto Tangah people against the VOC monopoly. Although muted by the VOC, the event was then enshrined as the birth year of Padang City.

Some Europeans took turns taking over power in the city of Padang. In 1781, due to a series of British-Dutch Fourth War, the British managed to control this city.

However, after the signing of the Paris Treaty in 1784 the city was returned to the VOC. In 1793 the city was looted and ruled by a French pirate based in Mauritius named François Thomas Le Même, whose success was appreciated by the French government at that time by awarding him the award. Then in 1795, the city of Padang again taken over by the British. However, after the Napoleonic wars, in 1819 the Dutch reclaimed this area which was later confirmed through the Treaty of London, signed on 17 March 1824.

In 1837, the Dutch East Indies government established Padang as the central government of the West Sumatra Coastal area (Sumatra's Westkust) whose territory covers West Sumatra and Tapanuli now. Furthermore, the city became a gemeente area since 1 April 1906 after the exit of ordinance (STAL 1906 No.151) on 1 March 1906. Until World War II, Padang was one of the five largest port cities in Indonesia, besides Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, and Makassar.

Toward the entry of Japanese troops on March 17, 1942, the city of Padang was abandoned by the Dutch because of their panic. At the same time Soekarno was stuck in this city because the Dutch side of that time wanted to take him to escape to Australia. Then the commander of the Japanese Army for Sumatra met him to negotiate the fate of the next Indonesia. After Japan was able to control the situation, the city was later used as an administrative city for development affairs and public works.

News of Indonesia's independence on August 17, 1945 new to the city of Padang around the end of August. However, on October 10, 1945 Allied troops had entered the city of Padang through Teluk Bayur Port, and then the city was occupied for 15 months. On March 9, 1950, Padang City was returned to the Republic of Indonesia after being a state of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia (RIS) through Presidential Decree No. 111. Then, based on Law No. 225 of 1948, the Governor of Central Sumatra at that time by mail decision number 65 / GP-50, on August 15, 1950 set the city of Padang as an autonomous region. The territory of the city was expanded, while the status of Padang's consciousness was removed and its affairs moved to Mayor of Padang. On May 29, 1958, the Governor of West Sumatra through Decree No. 1 / g / PD / 1958, de facto declared Padang the capital of West Sumatra province, and de jure in 1975, marked by the issuance of Law No. 5 1974. The central government subsequently issued Government Regulation No. 17 of 1980, which established changes to the borders of Padang City as a regional government. Based on the National Medium-Term Plan 2015-2019, the central government establishes Padang City, together with Padang Pariaman and Pariaman districts for the development of the Palapa metropolitan area (Padang-Lubuk Alung-Pariaman).

Geography

Padang City is located on the west coast of the island of Sumatra, with an overall area of 694.96 km² or equivalent to 1.65% of the province of West Sumatra. More than 60% of the city of Padang is in the form of hills and protected forest areas. Only about 205,007 km² of area is an effective urban area. The hilly area stretches across the eastern and southern parts of the city. The famous hills of Padang City include Lampu Hill, Gunung Padang, Gado-Gado Hill, and Pegambiran Hill. Padang City has a coastline along 68.126 km on the mainland of Sumatra. In addition, there are also 19 small islands, including Sikuai Island with an area of 4.4 ha in Bungus Teluk Kabung District, Toran Island covering 25 ha and Pisang Gadang Island in South Padang Subdistrict.

In 1833, Resident James du Puy reported an earthquake estimated to be of magnitude 8.6-8.9 on the Richter scale in Padang that caused a tsunami. Previously in 1797, it was also estimated by the experts that an earthquake measuring 8.5-8.7 on the Richter scale, which also caused a tsunami on the coast of Padang City and caused damage to the Air Manis Beach area. On September 30, 2009, the city was again hit by an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter at 0.84 ° LS and 99.65 ° East with a depth of 71 km, causing the destruction of 25% of the city's infrastructure.

The altitude in the land area of Padang City varies considerably between 0 m to 1,853 m above sea level with the highest area being Kecamatan Lubuk Kilangan. The air temperature is quite high, between 23 ° C-32 ° C at noon and 22 ° C-28 ° C at night, with humidity ranging from 78% -81%. Padang City has many rivers, namely 5 major rivers and 16 small rivers, with the longest river of Batang Kandis along 20 km. The rainfall rate of Padang City reaches an average of 405.58 mm per month with an average rainy day of 17 days per month. The high rainfall makes this city quite vulnerable to flooding. In 1980 2/3 the area of this city was once flooded because the city drainage channel that leads primarily to Batang Arau can no longer accommodate the abundance of water.

Spatial

Padang City has characteristic of urban space facing Indian Ocean and surrounded by ranks of Bukit Barisan Mountains. The development of urban areas in Padang move to the north and east of the old town at the mouth of Batang Arau. Arrangement of the city area currently refers to the Regional Regulation (Perda) on Spatial Planning (RTRW) Padang City Year 2010-2030. In line with disaster-based city development, the eastern region of Padang was developed as a residential area and educational center, while the western region adjacent to the coast is an urban commercial area and business center. The transfer of the central government of Padang City to the eastern region (Air Pacah, Koto Tangah Subdistrict) in 2010 is one of the efforts to reduce the concentration of population in the coastal area.

Architecture

From the architectural side of the existing buildings in the city of Padang is currently in the transformation of the rediscovery of tradition in the form of a modern but traditional architectural expression. The city is generally able to offset the development of the form of imported architecture that continues to appear in every city in Indonesia with traditional architectural arts. It is also seen in addition to the building found also various gates on several streets with typical roof gonjong. This gonjong is one part of ethnic symbols, representing the meaning of Minangkabau philosophy that is abstracted into the form of building. Although there is now a shift in cultural values threatening the existence of original values, the Minang people feel that their vernacular architectural image is quite represented by the gonjong roof only.

Previously from Batang Arau to the Estuary of Padang Beach there are some old buildings with European architectural characteristics adapted to the model style for the tropics among them NHM (Nederlansche Handels-Maatschappij), Padangsche Spaarbank, De Javansche Bank, and NV Internatio established before 1920 and became silent witness of the colonial trail left behind.

Park and forest city

Since 1995, Padang City Government has started to develop urban forests including Green Open Space (RTH) which serves to improve the quality of urban environment is comfortable and beautiful, as well as one means of recreation, especially for residents of the city. RTH in this city is RTH Taman Melati and RTH Imam Bonjol which also serves as the town square. In Padang Beach area, there is Muaro Lasak Park which is equipped with Merpati Peace Monument. The monument was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in the framework of Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2016.

At the end of Batang Kuranji there is the Malvinas Delta City Forest which is the habitat for small white cranes and crocodiles. While in Kecamatan Lubuk Kilangan, there is Forest Park Bung Hatta, which is a conservation area of germplasm conservation of forest flora area of 240 ha. Forest Park is adjacent to Solok District, and has been used as a natural tourist attraction, educational and research facilities as well as hydroorological and pollution-prevention functions, especially for the city of Padang.

The city of Padang was awarded the Adipura trophy for the first time in 1986 from President Soeharto for his achievement to be one of the cleanest cities in Indonesia. Furthermore, in 1991 the city also received Adipura Kencana. Until the year 2009 Padang City has received 17 times Adipura trophy for 4 assessment period. Eight years after the 2009 Earthquake that destroyed the city's infrastructure and facilities, Padang again received the Adipura trophy for the 18th time in 2017.

Transportation

Initially the main route connecting the rantau area (Padang City) to Darek (Minangkabau hinterland) in the past was the path that Raffles had taken in 1818 to Pagaruyung through Kubung XIII area in Solok district now. Currently there are three main streets connecting the city of Padang with other cities in Sumatra. The road to the north connects this city with the City of Bukittinggi, and there branches to Medan and Pekanbaru City. There is also a branch road near Lubuk Alung towards Pariaman City. The road east to Solok City, which is connected to the Central Highway of Sumatra Crossroad. Previously, in Arosuka there is an intersection to Jambi City through Solok Selatan District. The road to the south along the west coast of Sumatra connects Padang City with Bengkulu City through Pesisir Selatan Regency.

The discovery of coal reserves in Sawahlunto City prompted the Government of the Dutch East Indies to build railroads and new road routes through the current city of Padang Panjang, completed in 1896. This railway line also connects the city of Padang with other cities such as Kota Pariaman, Kota Solok, Kota Bukittinggi, and Payakumbuh City. Currently the only active railway line is the Padang-Pariaman commuter network using the Sibinuang, and Indarung-Bukitputus trains for the transport of cement to the port. Railbus began operations in 2016 to serve routes from Padang City to Minangkabau International Airport. Padang is the second city in Indonesia, after Medan, which operates the airport train.

Bingkuang Regional Terminal (TRB) at Air Pacah was completed in 1999 to replace Andalas Cross Terminal in Olo Ladang. The use of TRB is not as expected, and until some years after it has not been able to replace the old terminal. After the earthquake of September 30, 2009 and the issuance of Government Regulation No. 26 of 2011, TRB converted into a central area of city government. As a result, Padang is currently the only city in Indonesia that does not have a terminal. In 2015, the Padang City Government initiated the construction of three alternate terminals, the Lubuk Buaya Terminal for the northern intercity buses (AKDP) to the north and inter-provincial intercity buses (AKAP), Bukit Putus Terminal for the southern AKDP, and the Bandar Bandar Terminal for AKDP east.

The inner city transport is served by city bus, mikrolet and taxi. While currently in the city center can still be found bendi (a kind of horse-drawn carriage), while motorcycle taxis usually operate in housing and suburbs. In early 2014, the government began operating the Trans Padang bulk bus. Of the six corridors designed for this transporatsi system, only one corridor that operates the route Lubuk Buaya to Pasar Raya Padang along the 18 km.

Padang City has several port areas. Recorded since 1770 departed from this city port of 0.3 billion pikul pepper and 0.2 billion gold guilders per year. Muara Harbor serves sea transportation for medium-sized vessels primarily for the purpose to or from the Mentawai Islands District and surrounding areas. Meanwhile, Teluk Bayur Port serves sea transportation for large ship size to other cities in Indonesia as well as abroad. The port began operations in 1892 under the name Emmahaven. Now both ports are managed by PT Pelindo II.

Until 2005, Tabing Airport served Padang air transportation with other cities. This airport can not be landed by large-bodied aircraft, and therefore can offset the rising number of prospective passengers. Its development is limited because of its unobstructed position of Mount Pangilun and Bukit Sariak. So on 23 June 1999 the new location of the airport replacement was determined. With the completion of Minangkabau International Airport in Ketaping, Padang Pariaman District, civil aviation is transferred to the new airport. Domestic flights are currently served to all major cities in Sumatera (except Banda Aceh and Pangkal Pinang), all major cities in Java (except Semarang), and one city in Sulawesi, Makassar. As for the current international flight to Kuala Lumpur, Jeddah (hajj), and Madinah (umrah).

Economy

The city of Padang as a port city since the 19th century has experienced rapid economic growth driven by high demand for coffee from America. As a result, in 1864, one of the branches of Javaansche Bank, the bank responsible for the currency of the Netherlands Indies, has followed the standards in harmony with the Netherlands. Along with that in 1879 also has emerged savings and loan banks. This reflects the high level of money circulation in this city.

This city places the industrial, commercial and service sectors to be a mainstay compared to the agricultural sector in boosting the economy of its people. This happens because the economic transformation of cities tend to convert agricultural land into industrial areas. Although on the other hand the processing industry in this city has provided a significant job opportunity.

In this city there is a cement factory called PT Semen Padang and has been operating since its establishment in 1910. This cement factory is located in Indarung and is the first cement factory in Indonesia, with a production capacity of 5.240.000 ton per year. Almost 63% of its production (both in the form of zak and bulk packaging) is distributed by sea using Teluk Bayur port. After the political and economic reforms, the Minang people generally demand the central government to spin off PT Semen Padang from its parent PT Semen Gresik, which since 1995 has been forcibly merged by the central government, despite the demands of the acquisition of PT Semen Padang became an independent company separated from PT Semen Gresik has been granted Padang District Court, but the settlement of the issue is still unclear until now. Moreover, it is suspected that there has been a decline in company performance since the merger. This is because the central government still considers the restructuring of several BUMNs through the establishment of holding of several state-owned companies with related or equal business is the best solution to build the competitive advantage of the SOEs in order to better guarantee the profit above the average of other competing companies.

The trading center in Padang City is Pasar Raya Padang built in Dutch colonial times by a Chinese captain named Lie Saay. In its development, this traditional market had been a trading center for people in West Sumatra, Riau, Jambi and Bengkulu in the 1980s. In addition, commercial activities in Padang are also supported by 16 satellite markets spread across all corners of the city, nine of which are owned by the Padang City Government of Pasar Alai, Pasar Buat Market, Belimbing Market, Bungus Market, Lubuk Buaya Market, Simpang Haru Market, Siteba Market, Tanah Kongsi Market, and Pasar Ulak Karang.

Unlike most major cities in Indonesia, the growth of modern shopping centers in Padang is quite slow. In the 1990s there were at least five permits for the establishment of a mall in Padang City that Zuiyen Rais, the mayor of Padang, rejected at that time, for taking a place in the city center. Modern shopping centers that operate today in the city of Padang include Plaza Andalas, Basko Grand Mall, Rocky Plaza, and SPR Plaza. To protect small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Padang City Government also did not give permission for franchised mini-shell retail network like Indomaret and Alfamart which have been mushroomed in various cities in Indonesia. Instead, Minangkab Min Miner network is formed by Regional Owned Enterprise (BUMD) of PT Grafika Jaya Sumbar in cooperation with PT Sentra Distribution Nusantara.

The economy of Padang City is also sustained by the tourism and industrial sectors of MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition or Conventions, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions). This is supported by the existence of a series of hotels and meetinghouses in this city. Until now, Padang City already has dozens of star hotels, including one 5 star hotel and eight 4 star hotel. Minangkabau International Convention Center (MICC) which is currently in construction phase will be the largest meeting hall in Padang City.

Tourism

The famous Padang city of legend Sitti Nurbaya and Malin Kundang is currently tidying up the development of tourism. The city has a museum located in the center of the city called Adityawarman Museum, which has an architectural style shaped Minangkabau traditional house (Rumah Gadang), model Elephant Maharam. In the front yard of the museum there are two rice barns. This museum specializes in the history and culture of Minangkabau, Mentawai and Nias. The museum has 6,000 collections.

In the port area of Muara found many heritage buildings since the Dutch era. Some of the buildings in the region are designated by the local government as a cultural heritage. Among them is the Masjid Muhammadan bertarikh 1843, which is a young green mosque built by the community of Indian descent. Another cultural heritage, Kwan Im pagoda named See Hin Kiong in 1861 then renovated back in 1905 after the previous burn. From the border of Batang Arau, there is a bridge named Sitti Nurbaya bridge. The bridge connects a hill area which is also known as Mount Padang. On this hill is Sitti Nurbaya Park which became the location of Sitti Nurbaya cemetery. This hill area is also formerly the site of early settlement of Nias ethnic community in Padang City.

Then at the Bayur Bay port there are several tourist areas such as the beach Sweet Water, where the stone Malin Kundang standing. In addition, proceed south from the city center there are also Caroline beach area, and Bungus beach, as well as a three-star resort class resort located on Sikuai Island. While to Koto Tangah Subdistrict, there are coastal tourism area of Pasir Jambak, and Lubuk Minturun natural resort area, popular in Balimau tradition and visited by many people, especially one day before entering Ramadan.

The city is also famous for its cuisine. In addition to the tastes of most Indonesian people, this dish is also popular to foreign countries. Popular foods include Gulai, Rendang, Pop Chicken, Egg Balado, Green Chili Ducklings, Rice Kapau, Sate Padang and Karupuak Sanjai. Padang restaurant is widely available in all major cities in Indonesia. However, the so-called "Padang cuisine" is actually known as the Minangkabau ethnic cuisine in general.

In encouraging tourism in the city of Padang, the city government held the Rendang Festival for the first time in 2011, after Rendang was named by CNN International as the first ranked dish on the World's 50 Most Delicious Foods list (50 World's Most Delicious Meals). The festival, which is concentrated in RTH Imam Bonjol, is followed by urban village of Padang and successfully cooks 5.2 tons of meat, so it is recorded in Indonesian Record Museum as the biggest cooking competition with meat and participants. In the same year the city government also started to organize the Festival of Sitti Nurbaya, an annual performance that held up the Minangkabau tradition and tradition.