Cirebon

Cirebon – Java's cultural melting pot

It is perhaps poetic that Cirebon is located right on the border between the West Java and Central Java provinces. It is, after all, a city with a rich history of diverse cultures living together. Here, local Javanese and Sundanese peoples meet and mix with the Chinese, Indians, Arabs, and Europeans within this 39.48-square-kilometer territory. As of 2023, it is home to a diverse population of 342,000 people, including Malay, Korean, Arab, Indian, and Japanese communities. This complex multicultural identity is evident in the city's architecture and culture, with old palace buildings decorated with Ming porcelain plates, batik designs featuring Chinese patterns, and mosques displaying Arabian themes.

A city with as much multicultural heritage as Cirebon naturally has just as much to offer visitors. Being the capital of the 15th century Sultanate of Cirebon means that the city still has historic remnants of that era, such as the Kasepuhan, Kanoman and Kapabronan sultanate palaces. The Dutch also influenced the city with its Kejaksan Railway Station that was built during the colonial era. The city is also known for its locally-themed batik industry that can be seen through its Batik Trusmi Village. The Kanoman Market is where tourists can taste the city's local cuisine.

Cirebon has enjoyed a healthy investment climate over the past few years. Its total investment in 2023 was Rp 1.3 trillion across 6,221 businesses, up from Rp 721.22 billion in 2022. The city itself grew by 5.01 percent in 2023, following growth rates of 3.05 percent in 2021 and 5.10 percent in 2022. Its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) in 2023 reached Rp 28,772 billion, with the largest industries being wholesale and retail trade, car and motorcycle repair (contributing Rp 8,135 billion or 28.28 percent), transportation and warehousing (Rp 4,152 billion or 14.43 percent), and financial services and insurance (Rp 3,213 billion or 11.17 percent).