Spanish Mediterranean Terracotta Roof

The terracotta tile roof of Spain and the Mediterranean is made of curved, half-cylinder clay tiles laid in alternating rows: one row of tiles laid concave side up forms channels, and the next row laid convex side up caps the joints between them. The result is a ribbed roof surface with deep shadows, warm red or orange colour and low pitch, recognised worldwide as the "Spanish" or "mission" roof.

Origins

Fired clay roof tiles appeared in the Greek world in the 7th century BC, when the paired tegula (flat pan) and imbrex (curved cover) replaced thatch on temples near Corinth. The Romans spread tile making across their empire, including the Iberian Peninsula. Over time, in Spain and much of the Mediterranean, the flat pan gave way to a second curved tile, producing the all-curved roof familiar today. Spanish-style tiles were traditionally formed by extrusion and bending over a mould.

Laying

• The channel (under) tiles are laid on a bed of mortar or on battens with their wide end up-slope.
• The cover (over) tiles are set convex side up over the joints.
• Eaves are often finished with a double or triple row of tiles projecting beyond the wall.

Traditional roofs bedded every tile in lime mortar; modern systems fix tiles mechanically to battens with clips or screws, often over a waterproof underlay, which reduces slippage and wind damage.

Climate fit

The low pitch suits a dry, sunny climate with occasional heavy rain. The air gaps under curved cover tiles help ventilate the roof and reduce heat gain. Clay tiles are durable, with high-grade products lasting more than a century.

Spread

Spanish colonisers carried the roof to the Americas and Asia. Clay tiles were first produced on the US West Coast at Mission San Antonio de Padua in 1780, and Spanish-influenced tile roofs remain common in California, Florida and Latin America. In the Philippines, the curved teja de curva replaced nipa thatch on many colonial houses.

Today

Curved terracotta tiles remain common on houses in Spain, Portugal, southern France and Italy, alongside flatter interlocking clay and concrete tiles that imitate the profile.