A beautiful patterned slate Mansard roof.
The Mansard roof form that turns an Italianate style house into a Second Empire style house comes from France and was typically called a “French roof” during the 19th century – when all things Parisian were in vogue. Mansard roofs come in several forms, including concave and convex curves on the lower slope. This example is the more common straight slope variation with its original decorative slate patterning.
Contrary to popular urban legend, the Mansard roof was not developed to avoid paying taxes on an additional story. It was first used for the King of France’s Louvre palace. The king did not pay taxes to himself. See Mansard roof on Wikipedia for more on this subject.
Second Empire is one of 25 historic architectural styles described and illustrated in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.” Understanding the style of a house will help you understand which features are character-defining so you can prioritize their preservation.
The 720-page award-winning and best-selling hardcover book is available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
Signed and personalized copies are available directly from the author in our shop, https://yourhistorichouse.com/shop/.
Your local bookstore can order copies from W.W. Norton.
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