The big house
A wooden stilt palace.
Torbenbrinker — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dimas H (WMID) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Silentwinner — CC0 · Silentwinner — CC0
The wooden palace of the kings of Gowa, whose name means big house in Makassarese, a huge house on tall wooden stilts in traditional style, rebuilt in the 1930s and now a museum preserving the heritage of the Islamic Gowa sultanate that ruled South Sulawesi for centuries. Visitors climb a wooden stairway to spacious halls showing the sultanate's treasures: a jewelled gold crown, royal swords and daggers, costumes, manuscripts and traditional regalia. Some of the most precious pieces are shown only on special occasions. Beside it stands a newer wooden palace of the sultanate. Entry is usually by donation, and shoes come off. The museum is small and needs under an hour. Combine it with Sultan Hasanuddin's tomb and Katangka Mosque, South Sulawesi's oldest, in nearby Gowa for a half-day history tour.
A wooden stilt palace.
A sultanate treasure.
Deep Islamic history.
Sungguminasa, Gowa, about 10 km south-east of Makassar
Not always: some precious pieces are kept away and shown only on occasions. Ask at the entrance what is on display.