Defensive element of the medieval and ancient fortifications in the form of high-altitude structures designed to defend the front side and defend the wings of the adjacent section of the defensive circuit .
What is the purpose of a tower on a castle?
A fortified tower (also defensive tower or castle tower or, in context, just tower) is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications , such as castles, along with curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and fulfil different functions.
What is a flanking tower in a medieval castle?
A flanking tower is a fortified tower that is sited on the outside of a defensive wall or other fortified structure and thus forms a flank . ... Corner flanking towers are found, for example, in the fortifications of the Alhambra and at the manor house of Hugenpoet Palace; Wellheim Castle has a square flanking tower.
What were towers used for in medieval times?
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 are the towers around 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 is the bridge over a moat called?
A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat.
What did a concentric castle look like?
Concentric castles resemble one castle nested inside the other , thus creating an inner and outer ward. They are typically built without a central free-standing keep. Where the castle includes a particularly strong tower (donjon), such as at Krak or Margat, it projects from the inner enceinte.
What is the difference between a tower and a castle?
is that tower is a structure, usually taller than it is wide, often used as a lookout, usually unsupported by guy-wires or tower can be one who tows while castle is a large building that is fortified and contains many defences; in previous ages often inhabited by a nobleman or king.
What is the difference between a turret and a tower?
A turret is simply a small, circular tower attached to a larger structure, usually on a corner or angle. The difference between a turret and an actual tower is that turrets typically don’t start at the ground level and, rather, cantilever out from another upper level.
What shops are in castle towers?
- A1 Alterations.
- Acurepoint.
- Adairs.
- Aesop.
- Ahinah.
- Aldi.
- Allan’s Mens Hairdressing.
- Angus & Coote.
What’s the top part of a tower called?
A battlement is the upper walled part of a castle or fortress. It’s usually formed out of a low, narrow wall on top of the outermost protective wall of a fortress or castle. The word ”battlement” traces to an old French term that means tower or turret, and the original use of battlements was for protection.
How tall was a medieval tower?
Usual height for the motte of a large motte and bailey: 30 feet (9 m). Height of the walls of Framlingham Castle in England: 40 feet (12 m). Height of the keep at Dover Castle in England: 80 feet (24 m). Height of the tallest tower at Warwick Castle in England: 128 feet (39 m) .
How thick are castle tower walls?
The height of walls varied widely by castle, but were often 2.5–6 m (8.2–19.7 ft) thick . They were usually topped with crenellation or parapets that offered protection to defenders.
What is the point of a castle called?
A keep was a great tower and usually the most strongly defended point of a castle before the introduction of concentric defence. “Keep” was not a term used in the medieval period – the term was applied from the 16th century onwards – instead “donjon” was used to refer to great towers, or turris in Latin.
How comfortable are castles?
Life in the early castles was far from comfortable . The wind whistled through the wooden shutters in the windows and most people slept on benches or on rough mattresses in the great hall. By 1200s, castles had well furnished bed chambers and living rooms, heated by large open fires and lit by candles.
What is the purpose of a moat?
The purpose of a moat was primarily to protect the castle from attack . As a defense mechanism, moats were very effective. Although they’re usually depicted as wide, deep bodies of water, moats were often simply dry ditches.
