Question

Why are slanted roofs found on many buildings within Russia and Finland? A. To prevent ice slides. B. To prevent the build-up of water during heavy rains. C. To prevent heat from escaping during the clod winter months. D. To prevent snow build-up.

Answer 1

The correct answer is - D. To prevent snow build-up.

The slanted roofs are a very common feature on the buildings in Russia and Finland, and the reason for that is the safety issue. By having slanted roofs on the buildings, the large amounts of snow are not able to build up over the buildings, but instead, as the snow is building up, the sharp angle of the roof contributes that the snow's weight pushes it downwards and on to the ground.

If the roofs are not made in this manner, than the snow will build up, and we are talking about 70-80 cm of snow, or even more than a meter and a half at some places. That big of an amount of snow will weigh a lot and will manage to break up the roof of the buildings and even their frames.

Answer 2

The right answer is D. To prevent snow build-up.

The slanted roof masonry was a technique popularly used in the Russian architecture in the 16th and 17th centuries. The development of a slanted roof could only be possible because of the use of the quadrant arch, imported from North Western Europe. Before that time tented roofs (conical, or actually polygonal roofs) were made of wood and used in the wooden churches. Slanted roofs were evolved in order to carry on the large amount of snow which fell in this northern region. Wooden tents also were used to cover towers in kremlins, or even applied in some common buildings, like it was in Western Europe, but the thin, pointed, nearly conical roofs of the similar shape made of brick or stone became a unique form in Russian church architecture.