Gothic Revival Mansard Roof Style

A lovely but less common style in america during the victorian period was gothic revival 1840 1875.

Gothic revival mansard roof style.

The gothic revival was the first and most important of the many house fashions to sweep victorian america starting in about 1840. The style name refers to france s second empire the reign of napoleon iii from 1852 1870 during which the mansard roof was in vogue. With tall mansard roofs and wrought iron cresting second empire homes are inspired by the opulent architecture of france during the reign of napoleon iii. A mansard or mansard roof also called a french roof or curb roof is a four sided gambrel style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope punctured by dormer windows at a steeper angle than the upper.

Second empire style philadelphia city hall with an elaborately decorated mansard roof. Inspired by the medieval cathedrals and buildings of england and france these homes had vertical siding capped by steeply pitched roofs the steep roof and multiple gables a hallmark of the style. A mansard roof is a hipped roof with two slopes the lower being very steeply pitched and the upper being almost flat. Second empire in the united states and canada is an architectural style most popular between 1865 and 1900 second empire architecture developed from the redevelopment of paris under napoleon iii s second empire and looked to french renaissance precedents.

The steep roof with windows creates an additional floor of habitable space a garret and reduces the overall height of the roof for a given number of. The stick style is often considered to be a transitional style linking the preceding gothic revival with the subsequent queen anne. There are several variations of the slope some being straight while others being flared concave convex more rarely curved s and ogee patterns but whatever shape they take the mansard makes the style. This style home has many of the same characteristics as the victorian gothic style and the renaissance revival house style.

It was characterized by a mansard roof elaborate ornament and strong massing and was notably used for public buildings as well as. The predominantly red brick second empire style building under a mansard roof was built between 1874 and 1876. All three were inspired by the building traditions of medieval english half timbered construction with its visible structural elements steeply pitched roofs and projecting gables. This style harked back to medieval castles and cathedrals and its growth in popularity came simultaneously with romantic movements in all the arts that is simultaneously with the infamous victorian taste for melodramatic music plays and novels.

The style is closely related to italianate but is always characterized by its mansard roof named for the 17th century french architect françois mansart. Photo by bruce yuanyue bi lonely planet images collection getty images. It is considered one of the finest examples of second empire architecture in the state of west virginia. Chateauesque houses have many of these features.