T The city of ternate has an identity formed from a combination of physical and non-physical elements, such as the sultanate\\\'s heritage, the landscape of the archipelago, the history of the spice trade, and cultural traditions that are still developing. however, the development of the city and the various ways in which people interpret ternate give indications that there is no comprehensive understanding of the elements that shape the city\\\'s identity. this study aims to identify the physical and non-physical elements that form the identity of ternate city, analyze public perception of these elements, and assess their sustainability. the study used a mixed methods method with a descriptive approach through field observations, in-depth interviews with key informants, and questionnaire distribution to 78 respondents. the analysis was carried out qualitatively through thematic interpretation and quantitatively using descriptive statistics. the results of the study show that the identity of ternate city is composed of five main layers, namely geographical identity, sultanate, spice, colonial, and heritage city. public perception shows that the geographical and heritage elements of the sultanate are the strongest identities, while all physical and non-physical elements are considered to have a high level of sustainability. this research is expected to be the basis for preserving the identity of the city of ternate and supporting cultural heritage-based city planning and management policies.