Rocks on tiled roofs - why?

pandc Image
04/24/2012 - 13:48

Sorry - made a mistake submitting this twice...I'm curious as to why I see large rocks placed on roofs - does anybody know why this is done. A few weeks ago my wife and I were driving to Gubbio and were amazed ath the number of roofs that had large rocks strategically placed on them.Anyone know why this is done?

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Yes - it is for wind lift. Remember, trad Italian roofs have much bigger overhangs on the eaves (the bit which overhangs the 'long sides' of a pitched roof), and also on the verges which overhang the gables.  It's also a bit of an aesthetic nicety on more modern roofs - just for the crack, as it were. Not strictly necessary on a reconstructed roof, where the builder will have mortared in the tiles at the extremities, but it gives us somethiing to talk about (and Gubbio is VERY windy!)