Five of the World’s Most Famous Roofs

From pinnacles to domes, glazed tiles to gold, the world is full of astonishing roofs. Like the proverbial cherry on the cake, these beautifully embellished roofs protect their buildings with style and present some of the world’s great architectural masterpieces. Here are five of the most iconic roofs from around the world.

Dome and shell-shaped icons

Sydney Opera House, Australia

Designed to resemble the sails of the yachts in the harbour, this unique roof was constructed from pre-cast concrete pieces held together by steel cables and covered with over one million Swedish tiles. Taking 14 years to complete, this world-famous structure has become a global landmark thanks to its innovative design.

The Taj Mahal, India

Some of the world’s most famous roofs are dome-shaped, from St Basil’s in Moscow with its colourful onion domes to St Paul’s Cathedral in London, whose copper-covered dome is an integral part of the London skyline. But perhaps the most famous of them all can be found in India on top of the stunning Taj Mahal. A shining example of Mughal architecture, this iconic building took 16 years to complete.

Art Deco and ornamented rooflines

The Chrysler Building, USA

The New York skyline is packed with recognisable roof lines, but none more so than the Chrysler Building. An incredible piece of Art Deco architecture, this roof is composed of seven arches, each terraced behind the next, bearing an instantly recognisable sunburst pattern. Like a modern-day steeple, it stretches into the sky and looks spectacular when lit up at night.

Grand Palace, Thailand

The dazzling jewel at the heart of Bangkok, the Grand Palace has one of the most extraordinary rooflines in the world. Incredibly detailed and quite exquisite, the entire roof of the Grand Palace is ornamented with symbols relating to Thai culture and history. Incredibly complex and quite beautiful, it’s also completely unique. If you require something more subtle when it comes to your Cheltenham roofing needs, contact a high-quality roofing company like http://hempstedroofing.com to discuss your options.

A modern stadium roof

The Bird’s Nest, China

This iconic sports stadium dominates Beijing, and they’ve even opened a rooftop walk with breathtaking views over the city. The Bird’s Nest got its name from the overlapping web of steel girders designed to hide the machinery for the retractable roof. That never appeared, but the innovative design remained and is known worldwide.

 

Summary

This article profiles five of the world’s most striking roofs: the sail-like concrete shells of the Sydney Opera House, the domed Taj Mahal, the Art Deco arches of the Chrysler Building, the ornamented Grand Palace in Bangkok, and Beijing’s steel-latticed Bird’s Nest stadium. It briefly describes each roof’s design, materials and the length of time it took to build.

Questions this article raises

• Which of these roofs took the longest to design as well as build?
• How do these roofs hold up against modern weather extremes?
• Are any of these structures open for the public to view the roof up close?