# Gonjong Roof (Minangkabau)

> Gonjong are the upswept, horn-like roof peaks of the Minangkabau rumah gadang in West Sumatra, Indonesia, said to recall buffalo horns.

- URL: https://roof.wiki/gonjong-roof/
- Topic: Roof Shapes & Forms
- Also known as: gonjong; rumah gadang roof; Minangkabau roof; horn roof
- Regions: Southeast Asia
- First published: 2026-11-02 · Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
- Cite as: "Gonjong Roof (Minangkabau)." roof.wiki. https://roof.wiki/gonjong-roof/

## Key facts

- **Region:** West Sumatra, Indonesia
- **Traditional covering:** Ijuk (sugar palm fibre) thatch
- **Symbolism:** Buffalo horns

The gonjong is the curved, horn-like roof form of the rumah gadang, the traditional great house of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia. The roof rises in tiers of upswept gables whose ridge ends sweep up into sharp points, creating one of the most distinctive silhouettes in world architecture.

## Meaning

The pointed peaks are commonly said to resemble the horns of a water buffalo, an allusion to a legend of a contest between two buffaloes from which the name Minangkabau is thought to derive. The upward-reaching peaks are also described as symbolising reaching toward God. Within the matrilineal Minangkabau tradition, the number of horn-like extensions is said to reflect the number of married daughters in the house, and they are not always arranged symmetrically.

## Materials

Traditionally the roof is thatched with ijuk, black fibre from the sugar palm, laid in bundles shaped to the curved, multi-gabled form; the finials are bound thatch with decorative metal. Contemporary houses more often use corrugated metal sheeting instead of thatch.

## Cultural significance

The gonjong has become a symbol of West Sumatra and of Minangkabau identity. It appears on government offices, hotels, the facades of Padang restaurants throughout Indonesia, and the terminal of Minangkabau International Airport.

## Related forms

Upswept, saddle-shaped or horned roofs are found in several building traditions across Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

## Maintenance

The steep, curved thatch sheds the heavy tropical rain of the region quickly, but palm-fibre thatch must be renewed periodically, and the sharply curved ridges and finials are the most exposed parts of the roof. Replacing thatch with metal sheeting reduces maintenance but changes the appearance and the acoustic and thermal qualities of the interior.

## Sources

1. Rumah gadang — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumah_Gadang
2. List of roof shapes — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roof_shapes