The Great Mosque of Ganting is one of Padang's older and more historically layered mosques. Its value is not only architectural; it has been tied to the city's social life through colonial rule, wartime disruption, earthquakes, and the everyday rhythms of a strongly Muslim Minangkabau port.
Visitors should dress modestly and be sensitive to prayer times. The mosque is worth seeing alongside Padang's old quarter and riverfront, where the city's trading history is easier to read than in the newer commercial streets.