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What are the parts of a battlement?

What are the parts of a battlement?

The word Battlement is the collective term used to describe several parts of a defensive castle wall that are needed to make up the “battlement”, these parts consist of the parapet “a low defensive wall”, that is usually built at shoulder or head height; Crenels which are the gaps in the wall and Crenellation which is …

What is the top of a castle tower called?

turret
In architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower; Latin: turris, tower) is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle.

What are the parts of a fortress?

Enceinte: the main works of fortification—walls, ramparts, and parapets—forming the primary enclosure of a fort or fortress. En Cremaillere: a work formed in a series of offsets. Enfilade fire: fire directed along the length of a ditch, parapet, wall, etc.

What do you call the parts of a castle?

There were various medieval castle parts that made up a castle which included moats, ramparts, walls, turrets, towers, look outs, and gatehouse.

What is the difference between a parapet and a battlement?

is that parapet is a low retaining wall while battlement is in fortification: an indented parapet, formed by a series of rising members called cops or merlons, separated by openings called crenelles or embrasures, the soldier sheltering himself behind the merlon while he fires through the embrasure or through a …

What’s the wall around a castle called?

Curtain wall castles In medieval castles, the area surrounded by a curtain wall, with or without towers, is known as the bailey. The outermost walls with their integrated bastions and wall towers together make up the enceinte or main defensive line enclosing the site.

What are the important parts of a castle?

These are some of the key parts of a castle.

  • The Keep. The keep was a strong tower located at the centre of a castle.
  • Curtain Wall. The curtain wall was a defensive wall built to protect the bailey (see below) of a castle.
  • The Bailey.
  • Moat.
  • Battlements.
  • Drawbridge.
  • Portcullis.
  • Arrowslits.

What is a crenelated parapet?

Crenellation is a feature of defensive architecture, most typically found on the battlements of medieval castles. A battlement is a low, defensive parapet. In medieval England, a licence to crenellate had to be granted by the King or other regional authority before a property could be fortified.

Where are the battlements located in a castle?

In architecture, a battlement is a structure on top of castle or fortress walls that protects from attack. Historically, battlements were usually narrow walls at the top of the outermost walls of a castle. Battlements have several important parts.

Which is the most important part of a battlement?

Battlements have several important parts. The short, topmost part of the wall was called the parapet. It included the crenels, gaps in the wall spaced at regular intervals. Sometimes the crenels are also called embrasures.

What do you call the raised part of a battlement?

It’s where soldiers were protected during “battle” upon the castle. Also called crenellation, a battlement is really a parapet with open spaces for the castle-protectors to shoot cannons or other weaponry. The raised portions of the battlement are called merlons. The notched openings are called embrasure or crenels.

Where did the term’battlement’come from?

The word ”battlement” traces to an old French term that means tower or turret, and the original use of battlements was for protection. Battlements have been around for thousands of years and were commonly found on medieval castles in places like France and Spain.

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