[caption id="attachment_31320" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Wikipedia"][/caption] In terms of socio-historical place of interest, Bukittinggi might be the most famous town in West Sumatera. A thicker atmosphere, however, can be seen in Tanah Datar. Here lies the mythical origin of Minang people, the Pagaruyung Palace. Tanah Datar is a regency situated between Bukittinggi and Sawahlunto, two city famous for their natural resource and location since Dutch colonial era. Inhibited by 334,000 people, the regency which capital is Batusangkar has hundred-year-old cultural and historical sites related to the native Minangkabau people. Pagaruyung Palace is he most famous and important socio-historical object of interest in Tanah Datar is. Revealed from the name, this palace is in Pagaruyung of Tanjung Emas subdistrict, the city of Batusangkar, some five kilometers from the downtown of Batusangkar city. Locals call the palace Istano Baso, the Great Palace. The original Pagaruyung Palace was standing on the peak of Pagaruyung's Batu Patah Hill. It was burnt to the ground during a bloody riot in 1804. The palace on the peak of the hill was the center of fourteenth century Pagarayung Kingdom. According to local myth, Pagaruyung Kingdom, also called Batu Patah Hill Kingdom, was the origin of all Minangkabau people. It was where Bundo Kanduang, one of its queens, once ruled the kingdom. She is considered as the founder of matriarchal system of Minangkabau society. [caption id="attachment_31323" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Wikipedia"][/caption] The recent Pagaruyung Palace is only the replica made for the second time. This replacement structure was constructed to the south from the original one. The pictures show the stucture's immense size comparen to vegetation and the visitors. We can imagine how delicate was the original structure since the main material was wood. Abandoned for more than 150 years, the goverment of West Sumatera initiated the rebuilding of the Palace in December 1976 and finished it at the end of the decade. The rebuilding has a strategical mission of reuniting all the conflicting groups within the society of Minangkabau tribe after the riot of PRRI/Permesta. During one heavy rainfall on February 2007, thunder struck and burnt all part of the wooden Palace building. As much as 85 per cent from the collections of the Palace kept on the museum were turned into ashes. It was reported that only 79 historical items were able to be recovered from the fire, most of the are inflammable objects. After the reconstruction, Pagaruyung Palace reopens for public. Preserving its original architectural design, the new building, however, built on concrete stilts to give it extra strength. It is still using the traditional horn-shaped roof and placing a rangkiang, a storeroom to collect rice stock, within it. Visitors can see the remaining collections from the previous museum, such as copper tools, paintings, krises, sprears, and potteries. Apart from Pagaruyung Palace, Tanah Datar has plenty other cultural object of interest spread all around town. Among the famous sites are Kubur Rajo, the Palace's burial site for kings and their family, Silinduang Bulan Palace, Pancar Matoari stone, Adityawarman inscription, the stone of Batikan Lima Kaum, and Pandai Sikek, a village which population still produce traditionally woven fabric.
