Tjong A Fie Mansion Medan

"Tjong A Fie Mansion is one of the most beautiful and culturally rich places I visited in Medan. This historical house, once the home of a Chinese businessman and philanthropist, is now a well-preserved museum that offers a glimpse into Medan’s past and its multicultural heritage.

The architecture is stunning, with a unique blend of Chinese, Malay, and European influences. Every room is decorated with antique furniture, intricate wood carvings, and family photos that give life to the mansion’s history. Walking through the house feels like stepping back in time.

I really enjoyed exploring the courtyard and admiring the details in the structure. It’s also a great spot for photography—there’s natural light filtering through the windows, colorful tiles, and so many elegant corners to capture. The staff are friendly and happy to share more about the history of the house and the legacy of Tjong A Fie, who played a significant role in the development of Medan.

If you’re visiting Medan and want to see more than just nature and food, I highly recommend adding Tjong A Fie Mansion to your list. It’s peaceful, educational, and full of character."

Niel J.

"Very interesting history. Even though the house is very old, we can still see how grand it still is. The owner are really proud of this house. The two floors consist of 30 rooms. Beautiful dancing hall. Great kitchen with fire made out of wood so we know the food should taste great. The house was well designed with garden in the centre of the house and also at the entrance as well. Parking to this place is a bit of a problem as there are not many carpark space."

Noorzidah M N

"Stepped into the Tjong A Fie Mansion in Medan, and it’s like stumbling into the haunted cousin of Penang’s Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion, which I visited just months ago. Both are time capsules of Chinese tycoon swagger, built by Hakka merchants who hustled from rags to riches.

Built in 1895 and finished in 1900 by Tjong A Fie, a Hakka merchant who clawed his way from Guangdong poverty to become Medan’s plantation kingpin, this 8,000 sqm, 35-room, 2-story beast screams ambition. The architecture’s a wild mashup- Chinese feng shui vibes with Malay flair and Art Deco swagger, plus Italian hand-painted tiles and gilded wood panels that ooze opulence. It’s a museum now, open since 2009 to mark Tjong’s 150th birthday, and still partly lived in by his descendants, which adds a creepy, lived-in ghost story vibe.

Tjong, who died in 1921 at 61 from a brain hemorrhage, was no ordinary fat cat. He bankrolled a third of Medan’s grand Al Mashun Mosque, built bridges, schools, and hospitals, and even founded Bank Kesawan in 1913. His plantation empire - palm oil, sugar, tobacco made him Sumatra’s first Chinese millionaire, and his title as ‘Majoor der Chineezen’ (Chinese Major) in 1911 cemented his clout with the Dutch, Deli Sultanate, and locals. The mansion’s courtyard, a serene “Well of Heaven,” feels like a brief escape from the chaos, but don’t be fooled - rumors has it some whisper of supernatural chills in certain rooms at night.

Entry’s a measly IDR 35,000 (~$2.30), including a guide who’ll spill family secrets, but the heat inside’s brutal. It’s a haunting peek into Medan’s past."

The Compass Guy