Popular in the later half of the 19th century, Second Empire was influenced by bot the renaissance and Napoleon III’s Second French empire.
Characterized by mansard roofs (two slopes on each side, the lower slope at a steeper angle, often featuring dormers), boasting emphatic pavilions and being of enormous size, Second Empire buildings were solid and flat in their facades, projecting both an air of decor and formidability. They were almost always cubic or rectangular, sometimes featuring interior courtyards, adopting themes from Italianate floor plans. They were symmetrical, often with a tower in the center.
Leave a Reply