Walk through centuries at Jembatan Merah and the Old Town
Stand at the red bridge and you are standing where Surabaya's heart once beat loudest. Jembatan Merah, the Red Bridge, connects you to the Dutch colonial quarter that surrounds it—one of the best-preserved examples of Dutch colonial architecture in Indonesia. The narrow streets and shuttered facades tell the story of the port city this was: a trading hub where sugar, tobacco, and coffee moved through to ships bound for Shanghai and Hong Kong. Walk north from the bridge into Old Surabaya and feel the weight of three centuries of commerce and conquest in the weathered plasterwork and tile.
The House of Sampoerna sits at the heart of this quarter, a stately Dutch colonial compound built in 1862 that now holds a museum, gallery, café, and souvenir shops. The complex offers free City Sightseeing bus tours with English-speaking guides, and the museum organizes its own tours of nearby historical sites—a direct way to understand the architecture and street life you are walking through.
Monuments to independence and naval pride
Surabaya's identity is bound up with resistance and bravery. The Tugu Pahlawan, the Heroes monument on Jalan Pahlawan, stands as the city's most significant landmark, dedicated to those who died fighting for independence between 1945 and 1949. Beside it lies Museum Sepuluh Nopember, named after the declaration of war against the Dutch on November 10, 1945. The museum holds uniforms, photographs, dioramas, and a substantial collection of World War II-era weapons. Information is presented in both Indonesian and English.
Near the river, two more monuments reflect Surabaya's maritime past: Monumen Jalasveva Jayamahe honours the Indonesian Navy, while the Monumen Kapal Selam displays a decommissioned Soviet-built submarine that served in the Indonesian Navy from 1962 until 1990. The submarine's hull has been cut to allow public access and viewing, and a small adjacent building shows a film about its history. These sites sit alongside the Suroboyo monument, also visible from the riverside.
Religious architecture across three faiths
Surabaya's spiritual landscape reflects centuries of settlement by Muslim, Christian, and Chinese communities. Masjid Ampel, built in 1421 by Sunan Ampel, is the oldest mosque in East Java and marks the beginning of Islam's establishment in the city—Sunan Ampel's tomb complex lies nearby. The mosque houses a well on its left side believed by believers to strengthen pledges or oaths. For a different scale of modern Islamic architecture, Masjid Al Akbar Surabaya is an enormous structure with a 65-metre tower equipped with an elevator, allowing you to see across the city from its height.
The Surabaya Cathedral (Katedral Hati Kudus Yesus) serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese and stands as one of the city's architectural anchors. For glimpses of older heritage, Gereja Kelahiran Santa Perawan Maria, the oldest Catholic church in Surabaya, offers serene surroundings and beautiful glass panels. Chinese Surabaya comes alive at the Hok An Kiong Chinese Temple on Jalan Coklat, a bright red structure built in the early 19th century filled with old wooden carvings and statues. The Masjid Muhammad Cheng Hoo, built around 2001, blends Chinese and Islamic design and sits near Surabaya City Hall, reachable in about 10 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by becak. The Kelenteng Boen Bio is a Confucian temple and former Chinese school built by immigrants in 1882, notable for the plaque presented by Emperor Guangxu of China in 1906.
Museums that reveal Surabaya's depth
Beyond the independence narrative, Surabaya's museums hold stories of medicine, art, naval power, education, and the men who shaped the nation. Museum Kesehatan dr. Adhyatma traces the evolution of health and healing from traditional practice to modern method. Museum Rudi Isbandi shows modern and contemporary art collected over decades and opened to the public in 2009. The Museum TNI AL Loka Jala Çrana, the Navy Museum, contains displays of ships and amphibious tanks and a planetarium, tracing the Indonesian Navy since the revolutionary period. Museum WR. Soepratman honours the composer of the Indonesian national anthem, while Museum Pendidikan Surabaya documents the city's educational history. The Siola Surabaya Museum and the newer Blockbuster Museum Surabaya offer broader looks at local history and cinema respectively. For those interested in national heroes, Museum H.O.S. Tjokroaminoto and Museum Dr. Soetomo preserve the homes and legacies of nationalist leaders. The Museum De Javasche Bank traces the financial history of the colonial era through the institution created in 1828 to serve the Dutch East Indies.
Water and escape at Kenjeran Beach and beyond
Kenjeran Beach offers black sand and an evening fountain show, a simple escape within the city limits. For a slower immersion in nature, take a boat trip through the Ekowisata mangrove wonorejo Rungkut, where bamboo bridges and shelters line a 30-minute route through mangroves—good for picnicking and sitting quietly. The journey costs Rp 25,000 for adults, with boats departing regularly between 08:00 and 15:30.
Surabaya rewards those who walk its older streets and sit with its monuments. Whether you come for the Dutch colonial architecture, the independence story, the layered religious buildings, or simply to understand how a port city shaped an archipelago, start planning your time around the Tugu Pahlawan and Old Surabaya. The city opens itself to those who slow down enough to read it.