Pekanbaru name was formerly known by the name "Senapelan" which at that time headed by a Chief called Inner. The area originally as a field, gradually became the township. Then township Senapelan move to new settlements, later known as Hamlet Umbrella Sekaki located on the banks of the Siak river estuary.
Payung Sekaki (Umbrella Name Sekaki) not well known in his time but Senapelan. Senapelan development is closely linked to the development of the Kingdom of Siak Sri Indrapura. Since the Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah Alamudin Senapelan settled in, he built his palace in Kampung Bukit adjacent to the township Senapelan. It is estimated that the palace is situated in the vicinity of the Gra
nd Mosque today. Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah Alamudin have the initiative to create a week in Senapelan but not developed. Businesses that have been pioneered was later followed by his son Raja Muda Muhammad Ali in a new place that is around the harbor now.Then on Tuesday, 21 Rajah 1204 H or dated June 23, 1784 AD based on consensus-progenitor progenitor four tribes (Coast, Fifty, Tanah Datar and Kampar), Senapelan country was renamed "Week for new" then celebrated as the birthday of Pekanbaru City . From then on Senapelan designation was abandoned and became popular as the "Week for new", which in everyday language is called PEKANBARU.
Further development of governance in the city of Pekanbaru is always subject to change, among others, as follows :
- Her Royal Decree Inlanche Besluit van Zelf Bestuur van Siak No. 1 dated October 19, 1919, Pekanbaru part of the Kingdom of Siak called the District.
- 1931, Kampar Kiri Pekanbaru entrance region headed by a Controleur based in Pekanbaru.
- Dated March 8, 1942 Pekanbaru headed by a military governor called Gokung, District be headed by Gunco Gun.
- Decree of the Governor of Sumatra in Medan on May 17, 1946 No.103 Pekanbaru become an autonomous region called Haminte or City b.
- Law No.22 of 1948 Pekanbaru District replaced with Kampar regency, Pekanbaru City was given the status of a Small Town.
- Law No. 8 of 1956 to improve the status of the small town of Pekanbaru.
- Law No.1 of 1957 became Municipal Pekanbaru status.
- Kepmendagri No. December 52/I/44-25 dated January 20, 1959 became the capital of Pekanbaru in Riau Province.
- Law No.18 of 1965 authorized the use of the term municipality.
- Law No.22 of 1999 on Local Government designation changed to the City Municipality.
