Gorontalo

Veranda of Madinah

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Gorontalo City, also known as the “Veranda of Medina,” has a rich and long history. The city was founded around 400 years ago and is one of the oldest cities in Sulawesi. Gorontalo is also known as the center of the spread of Islam in Eastern Indonesia along with Ternate and Bone.
 
Initially, the Gorontalo Kingdom City was located in Hulawa Village, Telaga District, on the banks of the Bolango River. However, in 1024 Hijri, the kingdom was moved to Dungingi, Tuladenggi Village, Kota Barat District. During the reign of Sultan Botutihe, the kingdom was moved again between Biawao Village and Limba B.
 
Gorontalo is also a center of education and trade for surrounding areas such as Bolaang Mongondow (North Sulawesi), Buol Toli-Toli, Luwuk Banggai, Donggala (Central Sulawesi), and even Southeast Sulawesi. Its strategic geographical location, namely in Tomini Bay (south) and the Sulawesi Sea (north), makes Gorontalo an important center in the region.
 
The name “Gorontalo” itself has several different origins, one of which comes from the word “Hulontalangio” which is one of the kingdoms and is shortened to “Hulontalo”. However, because the Dutch colonizers had difficulty pronouncing it, they pronounced “Horontalo” and wrote Gorontalo.