Surabaya: Old Town Walking Tour

Learn about the foundations of this area, laid during the expedition of Governor-General Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff, who explored eastern Java and initiated the establishment of structured Dutch settlements in Surabaya. Hear how the arrival of Dutch administration formalized the city’s role within global maritime networks, transforming it from a regional trading port into a key node of colonial governance and commerce.

As you walk, see how the district is lined with monumental buildings constructed in the early 1900s, many of which served as offices for major trading and industrial corporations. Companies such as Handels Vereeniging Amsterdam (HVA) and Borneo-Sumatra Handels Maatschappij operated from these buildings, managing vast networks of sugar plantations, shipping routes, import-export businesses, and financial transactions.

Encounter a rich variety of architectural styles, including Neo-Classical, Art Deco, Indische Empire, and early modernist designs adapted to the tropical climate. High ceilings, large windows, thick walls, and shaded arcades were not only aesthetic choices but practical solutions to heat and humidity. Each building reflects a dialogue between European architectural ideals and local environmental realities.

During this walking tour, slow down and observe these buildings closely—examining their facades, structural details, and spatial layouts. More importantly, uncover the stories behind them: who built them, what functions they served, and how they contributed to Surabaya’s rise as an economic powerhouse.

Surabaya’s rapid growth in the early 20th century also reshaped its social landscape. European merchants, administrators, Chinese traders, Arab merchants, and indigenous populations interacted within this urban space, each playing a distinct role in the city’s economic and social ecosystem. Old Town was not a static European enclave; it was a dynamic, multicultural environment where global and local forces converged.

This tour does not merely present dates and architectural facts. Instead, it invites you to imagine Old Town Surabaya during its peak: the sound of trams and horse-drawn carts, the movement of goods from warehouses to ships, the presence of clerks, traders, and laborers, and the constant flow of information and capital. By walking through these streets, gain a deeper appreciation of how Surabaya functioned as a living, breathing colonial city.