Eleven roof peaks
Shaped like buffalo horns.
Herusutimbul — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Official Website of The Ministry of Public Works Indonesia — Public domain · Official Website of The Ministry of Public Works Indonesia — Public domain · Mahaniaprl — CC BY-SA 4.0
The royal palace of the old Pagaruyung kingdom, the best-known example of Minangkabau architecture in the world, near the town of Batusangkar in the heart of the highlands. It is a three-storey building in rumah gadang style, with eleven roof peaks swept up like buffalo horns and colourful wood carving covering its walls, an imposing sight amid fields and mountains. The kingdom ended in 1833 and no royal family lives here today, but the palace remains dear to the Minangkabau. It has burned several times, most recently after a lightning strike in 2007, and was rebuilt; it is now a museum of royal furniture, costumes and weapons, with the princesses' rooms on the upper floor. Tickets are about twenty-one thousand rupiah per adult and eleven thousand per child, and traditional Minangkabau costumes can be hired for photographs for thirty-five to fifty thousand rupiah. It opens daily from eight to five. It is about an hour and a half by car from Bukittinggi, so make it a half-day trip, which can include nearby Lake Singkarak. Being photographed in traditional dress in front of the palace is one of visitors' favourite experiences.
Shaped like buffalo horns.
The old Pagaruyung kingdom.
Photos in Minangkabau costume.
Batusangkar, about 40 km south-east of Bukittinggi
It is a modern rebuild after repeated fires, the last in 2007, but in the same traditional style and carving, and is regarded as the finest showcase of Minangkabau architecture.