What are the gaps in castle walls called?
Parts and Design In this wall were gaps or spaces called crenels, which were usually square or rectangular and placed at regular intervals. They’re the distinct two- to three-foot-wide gaps you see at the very top of castle walls. Sometimes crenels are also called embrasures.
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 are the things on the top of a castle called?
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 up and down bits on a castle called?
Battlements – The up and down bits on the top of the walls, where a defender did battle from, much the same as the parapet. The techincal term is crenellations, the openings are called embrasures or crenelles and the solid projections are called merlons.
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.
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 is the door of a castle called?
portcullis
A portcullis (from Old French porte coleice, “sliding gate”) is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in Medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down grooves inset within each jamb of the gateway.
What are the key features of a castle?
The key features of a castle include: Rampart, Dungeon, Portcullis, Moat, Drawbridge and Turret.
What is the most important part of a castle?
Possibly the most important part of a castle in the time of sieges, the Well meant survival for the inhabitants of the castle even if they had little food. The well could be situated in the courtyard or inside the keep. If the well was outside, a wooden covering usually protected it from the elements.
What are the three types of castles?
The three main types of castles are the motte and bailey castle, the stone keep castle, and the concentric castle.
Why do churches have crenellations?
Monasteries, churches and granges defended against raids. Monastic communities were, mainly, made up of high status people. Monasteries were also often used as stop over residencies for lords. It is and was commonplace for churches to have towers and to be crenellated.
Is rampart and parapet the same?
1 Answer. In other words: A castle wall is a rampart. A lesser defending wall, such as a fence, is a parapet. A protective stone parapet on top of a rampart with crossbow grooves and openings is a battlement.
What do you call the raised part of a battlement?
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.
What are the embrasures of a battlement called?
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 .
What kind of wall is a battlement made of?
Battlement, the parapet of a wall consisting of alternating low portions known as crenels, or crenelles (hence crenellated walls with battlements), and high portions called merlons.
Which is the best definition of a battlement?
Definition of battlement. : a parapet with open spaces that surmounts a wall and is used for defense or decoration.
What was at the top of the battlement called?
The short wall section at the very top of the battlement was called the parapet. In this wall were gaps or spaces called crenels. The crenels were usually square or rectangular and placed at regular intervals. They’re the distinct 2 to 3 foot wide gaps you see at the very top of castle walls. Sometimes crenels are also called embrasures.
What are the gaps at the top of a castle wall?
The short wall section at the very top of the battlement was called the parapet. In this wall were gaps or spaces called crenels, which were usually square or rectangular and placed at regular intervals. They’re the distinct two- to three-foot-wide gaps you see at the very top of castle walls.
How are battlements used in a defensive building?
Thus a defensive building might be designed and built with battlements, or a manor house might be fortified by adding battlements, where no parapet previously existed, or cutting crenellations into its existing parapet wall. The solid widths between the crenels are called merlons (also cops or kneelers ).
What do you call a wall with battlements on it?
A wall with battlements is said to be crenelated or embattled. Battlements on walls have protected walkways ( chemin de ronde) behind them. On tower or building tops, the (often flat) roof is used as the protected fighting platform.