Mansard Monday ~ Justly famous for its pre-Civil War houses, Savannah, Georgia, also has a wealth of beautiful houses built in the decades after the war. This Second Empire style house in the East Victorian Historic District is a great example.
The defining feature of the Second Empire style is the Mansard roof, first used for an addition to the palace at the Louvre in Paris c. 1550. It got its name from 17th century French Baroque architect François Mansart. Urban legend claims the roof was designed to avoid taxes on an additional story. Not true, the King of France didn’t pay taxes.
The roof became especially fashionable during the Second French Empire (1852–1870) of Napoléon III, which corresponded with the middle Victorian era in the English-speaking world. Patterned polychrome slate was a common roofing material used on these houses, as here.
Typically called a French roof in the U.S. during the 19th century, it was popular during a period when all things French were “en vogue” for fashionable middle- and upper-class Americans. Second Empire buildings are essentially Italianate in style from the eave line down, but their roof gives them a different identity.
Many examples of the style are shown in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available directly from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
“Restoring Your Historic House” is also available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
#antiquehome #antiquehomes #traditionalarchitecture #historicalhomes #historicalhouse #historic #oldhousecharm #oldhome #oldhouse #preservation #preserveourhistory #homerestoration #houserestoration #vintagehome #architecturelover #restoringyourhistorichouse #yourhistorichome #restoration #houserehab #historicpreservation #secondempire #mansardroof #savannah #victorian