Jam Gadang is located in central Bukittinggi, a city in the Minangkabau Highlands of West Sumatra.

It sits in the middle of the Sabai Nan Aluih Park, near the Ateh Market and palace of Mohammad Hatta.

[2] Originally a rooster figure was placed on the apex, but it was changed into a Sōrin spire used in Shinto shrine architecture during the Japanese occupation in West Sumatra (1942–1945).

Following Indonesian independence, the tower's top was reshaped to its present form, which resembles traditional Minang roofs (see Rumah Gadang).

[2] The laying of the tower's cornerstone was done by the 6-year-old son of Rook Maker, the city secretary of Bukittinggi at the time.

It is common for tourists visiting Bukittinggi to take photographs in front of the tower, and local residents offer photography services for this purpose.