The+Second+Empire+Victorian

=The Second Empire Victorians = 1855-1885

This Style of Victorian was popular around the same time as the Italianate and was more frequently seen in the large industrial cities of the Northeast and the Midwest. The most distinguishing feature of the Second Empire Victorians is the Mansard roof. This style of Victorian Architecture was inspired by the French, more specifically by the French Architect Francois Mansard, whom the Mansard is named for. Francois Mansard's design of the Mansard roof was a loophole used in France when Paris's building codes limited the building to a specific number of stories. Since the area directly under the roof wasn't considered an additional story it proved a unique way to expand living space and to follow the law. The Mansard roof is normally seen with dormer windows and rounded cornices, all of which add to the already very detailed Victorians. Some of The Second Empires other notable features include:
 * Wrought Iron casting
 * Cupolas
 * Patterned Slate Roofs
 * Classical pediments
 * Paired Columns
 * Small Entry Porches
 * Elaborate Molding and Brackets
 * Often include a central hall plan and an asymmetrical arrangement of rooms and porches.

Victorian Architecture Works Cited

Created by Shannon Boothe Date: February 23, 2010