What are the round towers on 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.
Why were castles built with round towers?
Round towers, also called drum towers, are more resistant to siege technology such as sappers and projectiles than square towers. The round front is more resistant than the straight side of a square tower, just as a load-bearing arch. This principle was already understood in antiquity.
What were towers used for in medieval castles?
Medieval Castle Tower Summary A medieval castle tower had central importance in the castle parts used for its defence. Medieval castle towers came in various shapes and served a variety of purposes. Although the central purpose of these towers was defence, they could also be used for storage and imprisonment purposes.
What is a castle gate called?
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 is the purpose of castles?
Castles could serve as a centre for local government, administration and justice. They were also used by powerful lords to display their wealth and power through lavish architectural styles and decoration. Castles were not only built and used by the crown.
What were the types of medieval castles?
However, despite the dizzying diversity in medieval castles, there were three primary types of castles: Motte-and-bailey castles, stone keep castles, and concentric castles.
What is a great tower in a castle?
Tower Keep – aka Great Tower or Donjon, a large stone tower of several floors built within the circuit walls of a castle which acted as the primary place of residence and last place of refuge in the case of attack.