PEKANBARU MUNICIPALITY

Now serving as the capital city of Rieu Province, Pekanbaru's historical trace started from a small village called Payung Sekaki on the Siak riverbank. This village was established by the Senapelan tribe, therefore the village of Payung Sekaki was known rather by the name of Senapelan. In those days the reigning system was called Kebatinan, the reign was in the hand of a figure referred to as Batin.

Under the reign of the IVth Sultan of Siak, namely Sultan Abdul Jalil Alamuddin Syah, Senapelan was made the central seat of Siak Kingdom. Under this Sultan's reign, commercial activities flourished. Hence, the concept emerged to establish a "Pekan", a kind of market the activities of which were performed on certain days during the week.

After the death of Sultan Abdul Jalil Alamuddin Syah, the idea of establishing the "Pekan" was further pursued by his son, Sultan Muhammad All Abdul Jalil Muazzam Syah (1784).

Since then, precisely as from June 23, 1784, the name of Senapelan started to be no longer in use and was popularly referred to as PEKANBARU (new trading place) instead.

Spending your vacation in Pekanbaru, you can enjoy specific atmosphere along the banks of Siak River, flowing down to waterways of Mallaca straits, connects Pekanbaru with order towns along its course.

Further more, you can extend your tour up to the origin of the city of Pekanbaru which is situated on the Siak River bank as well.

Some places of interest worth visiting here and in the vicinity are:

MUSEUM AND TAMAN BUDAYA RIAU
Known as Musium Sang Wila Utama, the Museum which takes Riau-Malay traditional architectural style is located on Jalan Jendral Sudirman, within a close distance from the airport. Open daily, except on Sundays and holidays, the Museum exhibits various collections of artistic, historical as well as cultural items of the local people. Bordering with the Museum is a building with similar architectural style known as Taman Budaya Riau, a place designated as the center of cultural activities.
LIMBUNGAN LAKE
Originally designated for irrigation purpose, the dammed water, which is surrounded by hilly areas with panoramic view, turned out to have more tourist attraction. Seeing the potential, this place is later developed into a recreational spot equipped with various facilities for recreational purposes, such as water bikes, restaurants, cottages, etc.
This recreational spot is at 10 kms. distance from downtown Pekanbaru and can be reached by public transport. Not far from this spot, there is also a motocross arena.
ALAM MAYANG FISHING-PONDS
Alam Mayang is the name of relaxation and recreational spot situated on Jalan Harapan Raya, at km 8 from downtown Pekanbaru. Today it is frequented especially by those having the hobby of fishing since here there are fishing ponds covering a total area of 18.650 square maters with various kinds of fish inside. Much more fun is certainly to go fishing together with the family.
MTQ ARENA
Located on the main road just off the airport, this is a building complex in grand Riau Malay architectures formerly built as the venue for National MTQ (Al Qur'an Reading Contest). Here can be seen traditional houses of every sub ethnic of Riau Malay, each with its distinctive shape and feature.
GRAND ROYAL MOSQUE OF PEKANBARU
Built in the 18th century during the reigns of Sultan Abdul Jalil Alamuddin Syah and Sultan Mohammad All Abdul Jalil Alamuddin Syah of the former siak sultanate, this Grand Royal Mosque is the oldest mosque in Pekanbaru. Within the compound of the mosque lies the tombs of the two Sultans who were the founders of the city. Besides, there is also a well considered holy to which tourists, especially those culturally related to the Sultanate, often pay a visit to ask for blessing and good fortune.