Pagaruyung Palace, Royal palace and museum in Batusangkar, Indonesia
Pagaruyung Palace is a royal palace and museum in Batusangkar, Indonesia, with three stories and a horn-shaped roof made from black palm fiber. The building rests on 72 wooden pillars and displays carved ornaments throughout, recreating traditional Minangkabau architecture.
The original palace burned down in 1804 during the Padri War and was later rebuilt, before another fire destroyed it in 1966. The current version was built in 1976 at a new site and underwent major reconstruction between 2007 and 2013 after a lightning strike.
The name Pagaruyung comes from the ancient Minangkabau kingdom that ruled here until the early 19th century. Visitors today can see reconstructed rooms where ceremonial objects and traditional textiles illustrate the courtly culture of the region.
Visitors should be prepared for restricted access to some rooms and guided tours inside the building. Comfortable shoes are recommended as the grounds are large, and arriving early in the day helps avoid afternoon crowds.
A lightning strike in February 2007 caused a fire that destroyed 85 percent of the artifacts stored inside the building. The reconstruction that followed took six years and required around 20 billion Indonesian rupiah to restore the traditional elements.
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