Padang Old Town Area

Tracing the Footprints of Civilization in Padang Old Town Area: The Commercial Heart of Sumatra's West Coast

Padang Old Town Area is more than just a row of old buildings standing on the banks of the Batang Arau River. It is a silent witness to the transformation of a small port town into the most influential international trading center on the west coast of Sumatra Island. Located in Padang Barat and Padang Selatan Districts, this area holds collective memories of the convergence of Minangkabau, Dutch colonial, Chinese, and Indian cultures in a tightly woven historical knot.

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Origins and Formation Period

The history of Padang Old Town is rooted in the 17th century, precisely when the VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) began to notice the economic potential on the west coast of Sumatra. Before the arrival of the Dutch, this region was a small trading post under the influence of the Pagaruyung Kingdom and the Aceh Sultanate. However, a turning point occurred in 1663 through the Painan Tract, where the local community granted the Dutch access to trade to break free from Aceh's monopoly.

Massive city development began when the Dutch made Padang the administrative center and a warehouse for major commodities such as pepper, gold, and later coffee and cement. From the late 18th to the early 20th century, the area around Muaro Padang grew into a modern business district equipped with offices, giant warehouses, and structured ethnic settlements.

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Architectural Characteristics and Construction Details

The main characteristic of Padang Old Town Area is the Indische Empire Style and Art Deco architectural style adapted to the tropical climate. Buildings here generally have very thick walls (reaching 30-50 cm) to keep the room temperature cool. Large windows with wooden louvers (krepyak) dominate the building facades, serving as an efficient natural air circulation system.

One of the most iconic structures is the buildings along Jalan Thamrin and Jalan Pundak. Their construction uses red brick materials bonded with a mixture of lime and sand, without modern cement initially. Another uniqueness is the presence of "Gedung Geo Wehry & Co" and the former office of "Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij" (NHM), which feature grand colonial-style pillars, reflecting past economic glory.

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Historical Significance and Important Events

Padang Old Town held a strategic position as the main exit point for Sumatra's agricultural products to the European market. In the 19th century, Padang became the largest coffee export port in the Dutch East Indies, surpassing Batavia. Important events recorded here include the construction of Teluk Bayur Port (Emmahaven), which later shifted the main logistics function from Muaro, but still left the Old Town area as the center for banking and trade administration.

In military terms, this area also witnessed tensions during the Padri War and the Japanese occupation. Underground defense tunnels around the hills bordering the old town are evidence of past strategic defense efforts.

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Connected Figures and Ethnicity

The narrative of Padang Old Town is inseparable from the ethnic diversity that shaped its social structure. The Pondok area (Chinatown) is one of the oldest parts, where the Chinese community has resided since the 17th century. Figures like Lie Saay, a prominent Chinese Lieutenant, played a significant role in developing social infrastructure there.

Furthermore, the Indian community (Keling) in the Kampung Keling area brought strong cultural and religious influences, evident in the presence of the Muhammadan Mosque built in 1843. The presence of Dutch figures such as VOC governors and European architects also left their mark on the orderly urban planning with a drainage system that still functions today.

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Conservation Status and Restoration Efforts

Following the major earthquake in 2009, Padang Old Town Area suffered significant damage. Many old buildings collapsed or were severely cracked. However, this disaster became a momentum for the Padang City Government and various historical preservation communities to undertake restoration.

Currently, this area has been designated as a Cultural Heritage Site. Revitalization efforts are underway, transforming the function of some old buildings into cafes, museums, and creative economy centers without losing their original form. The "Padang Kota Tua" program aims to revive the old-time atmosphere with repainting building facades and arranging sidewalks for pedestrians, making it a premier historical tourist destination in West Sumatra.

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Cultural and Religious Importance

Padang Old Town is a living symbol of tolerance. Within a narrow radius, we can find the Muhammadan Mosque with its distinctive Indian architecture, the bright red See Hin Kiong Temple, and old churches left from the colonial era. The existence of these neighboring settlements reflects the philosophy of "adat basandi syarak, syarak basandi Kitabullah" (custom is based on Islamic law, Islamic law is based on the Quran), which has been able to acculturate with the diversity of newcomers.

Every year, the Cap Go Meh celebration in the Pondok area becomes one of the largest cultural festivals in West Sumatra, attracting thousands of tourists and demonstrating the strong roots of Chinese culture that have merged with Padang's identity.

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Unique Historical Facts

One rarely known unique fact is that this area once had a tram line connecting the port to the city center, facilitating the transport of goods during the coffee boom. Additionally, the Siti Nurbaya Bridge, now a modern icon over the Batang Arau, actually stands on a historical site where trading ships from all over the world once docked.

Padang Old Town Area is not just a collection of physical artifacts; it is a narrative of resilience, global trade, and harmony in diversity. Through every street corner and its old walls, Padang continues to tell its glorious past while looking towards the future as an eternal heritage city.