The third most populous city in the country, Medan is changing fast, with much state-of-the-art construction planned.

But it seems that in putting its new, modern face forward, the North Sumatra capital is turning its back on its preindependence legacy of old buildings.

Although not as famous as Bandung or Semarang for its colonial architecture, the city once boasted 600 buildings constructed from 1860, at the start of North Sumatra's heyday as a center of tobacco and rubber production, to 1960.

Now, according to the Sumatra Heritage Trust, the precious legacy has dwindled to only 300.

Still, the ones that remain, including the head offices of the Dutch and English plantation companies that once operated in the area, make for a pleasant tour, despite the city's notorious traffic jams and air pollution.

Travelers can start their tour at the Great Mosque, built in 1906. The mosque has undergone several renovations, but many of its original materials are still intact, such as the tiles and colorful stained-glass windows (although some of the latter have holes in them from errant footballs of neighborhood kids).

Near the mosque on Jl. Brigjen Katamso stands the Maimoon Palace, where Deli sultans once lived.

Today, about 20 families, descendants of the current sultan, live in rooms at the back of the main part of the palace. Visitors who climb upstairs to the porch of the palace will likely run into some of family members chatting with each other.

""This is the throne of the Deli sultan, used when the extended family gathers to hold annual ceremonies,"" a tour guide said, showing a set of yellow pillows and a couch of gold thread.

""The sultan now lives in Sulawesi.""

The palace, built in 1888, has some remarkable original architecture and decorations, but it is in a deteriorating condition. Graffiti also mars some of the structure.

Only 10 minutes away by motorbike or the motorized pedicabs of the city are rows of historical buildings along Jl. Ahmad Yani. The street, formerly known as Kesawan, was the place to live during the colonial era, when Medan's population was less than 20,000 in the 1900s.

Today, with the advance of urban sprawl, it is packed with souvenir shops, music equipment stores and sports shops.

Since February last year, the street has been closed at night to make room for food stalls for the city's foodies. The nightly food bazaar, Kesawan Square, can accommodate up to 2,000 diners.

The organizer of Kesawan Square, PT Star Indonesia, opted for Jl. Ahmad Yani because the street's historical buildings provide a nostalgic atmosphere for diners.

Unfortunately, due to the unpredictable weather, the organizer has been forced to erect large tents, thus obstructing the view of the buildings.

One of those escaping the visual obstruction is a mansion built in 1900. It once belonged to Tjong A Fie, an elder in Medan's Chinese community. The owner of about 20 plantations in North Sumatra, he could be considered one of the country's first ethnic Chinese magnates.

His descendants continue to live in the house, and visitors can knock on the door and request a tour.

For those in need of a pick-me-up after all the sight-seeing, Restaurant Tip Top, which offers original recipes of Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch meals, is across the street.

""The most popular choices here are our steaks, nasi goreng (fried rice) as well as our various choices of cakes, especially the mocha cakes and the mocha ice cream,"" said the latest owner of the restaurant, Freddy Kelana.

The restaurant and its bakery, having stood on Jl. Ahmad Yani since 1934, still cook the old-fashioned way in keeping with the tastes of longtime customers.

""We make our own mocha by frying coffee beans, we don't use chemicals here. We bake the cakes with wood-fired brick ovens,"" Freddy said.

A stroll up the street toward Merdeka Square, formerly known as Esplanades, leads to the building of PP London Sumatra, once owned by British Plantation Company and known as the Juliana Building.

A short walk straight in the direction of the City Hall, which is being revamped, leads travelers to Dharma Deli Hotel, built in 1898. It was the city's leading Hotel De Boer in the 1930s, according to the book Tour through historical Medan and its surroundings, penned by Dirk A. Buiskool, a Dutch historian based in Medan.

The hotel's employees are happy to take interested visitors on a tour of the place.

Across from the hotel, travelers should not miss the Medan Post Office, built from 1909 to 1911. The Dutch architect, Snuyf, was the head of civil public works for the colony at the time.

It appears the best maintained of all the historical buildings.

On Jl. Imam Bonjol, the former residence of the Sumatra Eastcoast administrators is now a Standard Chartered Bank office. It has been renovated, but retains its elegant design.

Most of the buildings are now in private hands, but many of those who work at them, or even own them, perhaps know little about their history.

Yes, change is inevitable. But the city would do well to look back on its interesting past, and see what it has to offer today, before it falls to the wrecker's ball.

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Foreign historians have expressed concern over what they say is "out-of-control deterioration" of historical sites in North Sumatra.

Two historians from Singapore and The Netherlands were presented as keynote speakers during a national seminar in Medan on Monday, named "Safe Historical Heritage from Destruction" at the auditorium of the State University of Medan.

E.E. McKinnon, a historian from Singapore, said the damage of heritage sites in North Sumatra, especially in Medan, had been alarming.

He said if the local administration office did not make a serious effort to restore the city, it would be
poised to lose historical sites and buildings.

He pointed out the need for the government and other parties to direct their attention to the importance of heritage.

McKinnon mentioned several historical sites that might be ruined including Benteng Putri Hijau (Green Princess Fort) in Namorambe, Benteng Kota Jawa (Java Urban Fort) at Tanjung Sakti, both in Deli Serdang regency, and Bukit Kerang at Hinai, Langkat regency.

He said many were destroyed to make way for new constructions. He also said another regulation must be added to the current law to protect historical sites.

McKinnon observed the current law was not enough to salvage historical sites in North Sumatra and saw the need to redraft another for effective enforcement.

Fellow historian from The Netherlands Dirk A. Buiskool emphasized the economic value in maintaining heritage areas, saying that the local government should look after historical buildings given their additional value to regional revenue.

He presented a paper titled the "Awareness About Medan's Historical Heritage".

Meanwhile, regarding the province, unique for its abundance of historical sites, Ichwan Azhari, an expert with the Historical and Social Science Studies Center, said nearly half the number of historical sites in North Sumatra, built during the period between the 7th and 14th centuries, had been spoilt.

He mentioned a few including Benteng Putri Hijau, Kota Cina, Kota Rentang, Pulau Kampai, Barus, Portibi, Bukit kerang, Tomok and Laut Tadur.

"The historical sites refers to the province in the past," he said.

"Robust development today, however, should not impact on their existence."

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

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