What do you call the top of a castle wall?

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. The short, topmost part of the wall was called the parapet.

What are the walls on castles called?

A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals to allow for the launch of arrows or other projectiles from within the ...

What is the pointy top of a castle called?

The spires are essentially just big spikes atop the turrets; they may have lighting rods, weather vanes, radio antennae, flags or other decorative features attached. Or they can be just big spikes - what makes them spires is that they are above the roof of the turrets and pointy.

What are the things on the top of a castle?

The raised parts are called cops or merlons, the indentations embrasures or crenelles.

What do you call 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.

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What are 10 parts of a castle?

What is a castle parapet?

A parapet fortification (known as a breastwork when temporary) is a wall of stone, wood or earth on the outer edge of a defensive wall or trench, which shelters the defenders. In medieval castles, they were often crenellated. In later artillery forts, parapets tend to be higher and thicker.

What is the top of a turret called?

When the height of a roof turret exceeds its width it is usually called a tower or steeple in English architecture, and when the height of a ridge turret's roof exceeds its width, it is called a spire in English architecture or a flèche in French architecture.

What is a castle Talus?

In architecture, the talus is a feature of some late medieval castles, especially prevalent in crusader constructions. It consists of a battered (sloping) face at the base of a fortified wall.

What is a crenelated wall?

adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun] In a castle, a crenellated wall has gaps in the top or openings through which to fire at attackers.

What is a rampart in a castle?

In fortification architecture, a rampart is a length of bank or wall forming part of the defensive boundary of a castle, hillfort, settlement or other fortified site. It is usually broad-topped and made of excavated earth and/or masonry.

What is a crenellated roof?

The act of crenellation is the cutting of crenels into a previously solid and straight parapet wall. Crenels are rectangular gaps or indentations which occur at regular intervals along the parapet, usually measuring 2-3 ft wide.

What are the parts of Palace?

What is a portcullis in a castle?

Definition of portcullis

: a grating of iron hung over the gateway of a fortified place and lowered between grooves to prevent passage.

What is a mural chamber in a castle?

Mural chambers, for example, may have served a variety of purposes from storage to dressing – some have loops for lighting but many have not. Cupboards were built into the walls to hold lights and valuables – a mural cupboard is called an aumbry.

What are castle buttresses?

A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall.

What do you call the top of a wall?

At the top of the wall is the top plate. Often a doubled 2x4, it anchors the top ends of the studs as well as ties the wall into the ceiling. In new construction, the walls are usually built while on the floor, with a single top plate.

What is a castle curtain wall?

The curtain, a feature common to mast medieval castles, was simply a set of walls that surrounded and protected the interior of the castle. Walls were often connected by a series of towers or mural towers to add strength and provide for better defense of the ground outside the castle.

What is a Motte in a castle?

The motte was a huge mound with a castle, or keep, built on top. It would have been easy to defend, as people would have had to climb up it slowly to reach the keep. Most mottes were surrounded by a deep ditch to stop attackers. The bailey was a large area of ground, surrounded by a tall, wooden fence.

What were the main features of a castle?

Where is the throne room in a castle?

A throne room or throne hall is the room, often rather a hall, in the official residence of the crown, either a palace or a fortified castle, where the throne of a senior figure (usually a monarch) is set up with elaborate pomp—usually raised, often with steps, and under a canopy, both of which are part of the original ...

What is inside a medieval castle?

A typical European castle was like a little village inside, with kitchens, workshops, gardens, stables, and a chapel. This castle is built of stone, but many early castles were wooden.

How were castle walls made?

Walls were generally built of stone within wooden frames designed to hold the stone in place while the mortar dried. For thick walls, the wall was usually constructed with a cavity that was filled with rubble rather than being solid stone.

What is a merlon in a castle?

merlon (plural merlons) (architecture, military, historical) Any of the upright projections between the embrasures of a battlement, originally for archers to shield behind while shooting arrows over the embrasures, or through loopholes in the merlons.

Why do castles have crenellations?

Crenellations are one of the most recognizable elements of a medieval castle. These upright projections resemble teeth, bared at invaders to prevent their attempted entries and at allies to show the owner's strength. Each upright section is called a merlon or crenel, and they protected defenders from attacks.