Gajah Mada Street: A Multicultural Business District

Gajah Mada Street is an icon of Denpasar City. One doesn't feel like they've visited Denpasar until they've set foot on Gajah Mada Street. During the colonial era, Gajah Mada Street was the main access for the community, and it was the embryo for the development of Denpasar's tourism. The main attraction of Gajah Mada Street, of course, is its historical side, shown by the old buildings on both sides. As such, it has been designated as a heritage or cultural heritage area since 2008.

Since colonial times, Gajah Mada Street has been a commercial area with a strong multicultural characteristic. Here, traders of Chinese, Arab, Indian, Madurese, and Javanese descent have become accustomed to living harmoniously side by side. Denpasar city residents also remember Gajah Mada Street as an entertainment center, especially for film. Several cinemas are located along Gajah Mada Street, such as Wisnu Theater at the western end of Gajah Mada Street, Hollywood Theater, which later became Indra Djaja, and then Indra Theater at the western intersection of Gajah Mada Street.

In 1964, a cultural festival event titled Gajah Mada Festival was held on Gajah Mada Street. In the texts of Indonesian and Modern Balinese literary works, the existence of Gajah Mada Street is described as an area that "never sleeps."