What Was The World’s Longest-Lasting Metal Roof?

Whilst affordability, durability and versatility are the main reasons why architects and contractors opt for metal roofing sheets, longevity is an underappreciated benefit of choosing a metal roof.

Although a modern metal roof that is well-maintained and inspected could potentially outlive the person who fitted it, some examples of metal roofing have survived for centuries with relatively minimal maintenance.

The longest-lasting metal roof without significant modifications survived for over 500 years, and likely would still exist today were it not for the unusual decisions of a Byzantine emperor.

The Pantheon in Rome is one of the greatest architectural marvels ever created, featuring what is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever constructed.

Whilst originally constructed in 27 BC, it was completely rebuilt in 126 AD and whilst it is unclear as to which parts of the Pantheon were original and which were remade or modified, the dome’s survival is an astonishing marvel.

It originally featured a copper covering although it is unclear if the copper was replaced when the temple was rebuilt or simply transplanted, but in any respect, for at least 500 years and potentially over 600, the Pantheon roof stood firm without major modifications.

Part of the reason for this was that the Pantheon was one of the rare buildings that survived multiple sacks and sieges of Rome without damage, and has been near-constantly used for over 2000 years.

However, it did see some changes and modifications over the years, and whilst the dome has survived since its inception, the roof was removed long after the fall of the Roman Empire.

According to Paul the Deacon, the Byzantine Emperor Constans II ordered everything made of metal to be stripped from Rome and sent to Constantinople, the capital city of the Byzantine Empire, what remained of the Roman Empire in the east.

The portico roof structure survived another millennium before it too was demolished on the orders of Pope Urban VIII, but were it not for greed and opportunism, the Pantheon’s metal roof would have lasted to this day as a beacon of the longevity of metal roofing structures.