page_title: Banda Aceh
section_title: Tourism
hierarchical_section_title: Banda Aceh / Tourism
caption_attribution_description: Bahasa Indonesia: Museum Aceh di Banda Aceh
context_page_description: Banda Aceh is the capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra and has an elevation of 35 meters. The city covers an area of 61.4 square kilometres and had a population of 223,446 people at the 2010 Census, rising to 250,227 at the 2015 Census; the latest official estimate is 268,148.
  Banda Aceh is located on the northwestern tip of Indonesia at the mouth of the Aceh River. Banda Aceh itself is a semi-enclave within Aceh Besar Regency, as Banda Aceh is surrounded by Aceh Besar in south, east, and west, while it borders with Strait of Malacca in the north.
  The city was originally established as Bandar Aceh Darussalam Kandang and served as a capital and hub for the Sultanate of Aceh upon its foundation in the late 15th century. Later its name was changed to Bandar Aceh Darussalam, and then became popularly known as Banda Aceh. The first part of the name comes from the Persian bandar meaning "port" or "haven".
context_section_description: As the capital of the Aceh province, Banda Aceh is home to many landmarks important to the history of the Acehnese people and the sultanates.
  The Baiturrahman Grand Mosque was originally built during the Sultanate of Iskandar Muda (1607–1636). It was rebuilt in 1875 after it was burnt down in the Aceh war. It has seven domes and four smaller towers along with the main tower. The mosque can accommodate up to 9,000 people.
  Gunongan Historical Park is a private playground and bathing place, built by Sultan Iskandar Muda, dedicated to his wife Putroe Phang. Gunongan was part of royal garden complex Taman Sari.
  A number of places near the centre of Banda Aceh have been established as memorials of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami on the city. These include several mass burial centres such as the graves at Ulee Lheue, places where boats were carried several kilometres inland by the tsunami (PLTD Apung 1, or the "Floating Diesel Plant", and the "Floating Boat on the Roof"), and the Tsunami Museum.  The PLTD Apung 1 had been located near the Ule Lheu beach before being shifted close to the city centre by the tsunami. It has become one of the most important landmarks in Banda Aceh.
  Dutch Kerkhof Poucut Cemetery is a Dutch military burial ground located near the centre of Banda Aceh, next to the tsunami museum. The cemetery name is a combination of Kerkhof (Dutch for churchyard or graveyard) and poucut or poteu cut (Acehnese for prince). The Kerkhoff Poucut is recorded as the largest Dutch military cemetery outside the Netherlands. There are around 2,200 graves of white Dutch soldiers as well as recruits from Ambon, Manado and Java, and several Dutch generals.
  The Aceh Museum is one of the oldest museums in Indonesia. The original museum was established almost 100 years ago. After Independence in 1945, the museum became the property of the regional government. In 1969 the museum was moved from the original site at Blang Padang to the current location in Jl Sultan Alaiddin Mahmudsyah. The museum contains a wide range of artefacts relating to the history and cultural life of Aceh.
  Several festivals are held annually by the city:
  Banda Aceh Festival
  Festival Krueng Aceh Peunayong
  Festival Geulayang Tunang (kite festival)
  Festival Kupi
  Indonesia City Expo
  There are three beaches close to Banda Aceh which can be reached by car or motorcycle: Ujông Batèë Beach, Lhôk Nga Beach, and Lam Pu'uk Beach, which is the most developed of the three.
caption: Aceh Museum
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