Ramparts

We just learned about the Moat that goes around a castle.

Another type of defense for a castle is the Ramparts.

These are hills or walls that are put up to try and hide behind or stand up on to look down on defenders.



(from: wikipedia - rampart (fortification))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Edinburgh Castle

Moat

We just learned about the small castle guard buildings called Barbicans.

Another part of a castle is a Moat.

A moat is a trench or ditch going around the outside of the castle walls, to try and make it harder for attackers.
Usually a moat has water in it, but sometimes it doesn't and is called a "dry moat".

Moats make it so that people can't dig tunnels under the ground to sneak into the castle, and they also make it hard for attackers because they have to swim over to the castle.

Sometimes the water in moats was also used as water for the people in the castle to grow plants.

In some countries like Japan a castle might have 3 different moats, and the moats might be built like a winding river going around the castle.


(from: wikipedia - moat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cité de Carcassonne

Barbican

We just learned about the small back door on a castle called the Sally Port.

Another part of a castle is a Barbican.

This is a small building on the outside part of the castle that was built to help defend the castle.
Sometimes a barbican has a wall that goes from the barbican back to the castle, that defenders can walk on.

These small buildings would usually have some soldiers in them to help be the first line of defense before attackers could get to the main castle, and also help warn the castle that danger was coming.



(from: wikipedia - barbican)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Leeds Castle

Sally Port

We just learned about the Curtain Wall that goes around the outside of a castle.

Another part of a castle is a Sally Port.

This is like a small door on the back or side of the castle that can be used to let people in or out.
It was usually in a protected location, like by the water, and sometimes the people in the castle would sneak out to go fight the people attacking the castle, and then go sneak back in.

Sometimes this door is also called a Postern.


(from: wikipedia - sally port)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Veste Coburg

Curtain Wall

We just learned about the hole in a castle wall called the Machicolation.

Another part of a castle is a Curtain Wall.

This is another wall that goes around the main castle, to help protect the castle inside the wall.

Its name makes sense because it's like a big curtain going around the outside of the castle.


(from: wikipedia - curtain wall (fortification))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Castel del Monte

Machicolation

We just learned about the Battlements on the top of the castle where people defend from attackers.

Another part of a castle's defense is the Machicolation.

This is a place where the top of the wall sticks out a little and there is a hole where people can drop things down on attackers.
It isn't a low spot in the wall like a crenel, the wall is still high there like a merlon, but it sticks out.
In the old days people would use that spot to drop big rocks or pour hot water or oil on people trying to break into the castle.

One famous machicolation we already learned about is at Blarney Castle in Ireland.
The stone on the bottom of the machicolation is called the Blarney Stone, and kissing it is for good luck!



(from: wikipedia - machicolation)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Schwerin Castle

Battlements

We just learned about the high part of a castle wall called the Merlon.

Another part of a castle is the Battlement.

Let's go over what we've learned about the things on top of a castle wall.
Wall Walk - The place to walk along the top of the wall
Parapet - Short wall that people can hide behind
Crenel or Embrasure - Open spaces in the parapet wall where people can throw things down on attackers
Merlon - High part of the parapet wall that people can hide behind. Opposite of a crenel.

All of these things together are called the battlements.

They were called that because people on top of the wall would be doing battle against people trying to attack the castle from the ground.


(from: wikipedia - battlement)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Caerlaverock Castle

Merlon

We've already learned about parts of the tops of castles, like the Wall Walk where people can walk along the edge of the castle behind a wall, the Parapet which is a short wall and the Crenel which is a small gap in the wall.

Another part of a wall walk on the castle is the Merlon.

This is the opposite of the crenel, and is a higher part of the wall where people can hide behind.
So usually castles would have merlons and crenels right next to each other, so they could hide behind the merlon and attack people from the crenels.

Having a bunch of crenels and merlons right after each other is called crenellation.



(from: wikipedia - merlon)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bodiam Castle

Crenel

We just learned about the short wall on top of a castle called a Parapet.

Another part of a castle is the Crenel.

Sometimes people would have gaps in the parapet wall, so that they could attack their enemies with arrows or even throw rocks on them.

The gap or low spaces on the parapet walls are called the crenel, or embrasure.


(from: wikipedia - battlement)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Balmoral Castle

Parapet

We just learned about the Wall Walk.

Another part of a castle is the Parapet.

On the roof of the castle, or on the wall walk, the parapet is a short wall that is built so that people can see over it, but also hide behind it.


(from: wikipedia - parapet)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Alcázar of Segovia

Wall Walk

We just learned about the Zwinger.

Another part of a castle is a Wall Walk.

On top of the castle wall sometimes there is a pathway, with a small wall next to it.
People could walk on the wall, but still be protected by the small wall.
They could also look out to see who was coming, or shoot arrows or throw things down on any attackers.


(from: wikipedia - chemin de ronde)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Neuschwanstein Castle

Zwinger

We just learned about the Enceinte.

Another part of a castle is a Zwinger.

Some castles would have an outside wall and then an inside wall.
The place in between the two walls is called the zwinger.

This was made so that if attackers broke through the outside wall, the people defending the castle would be able to attack them easily in a small space before they could break into the main castle space.



(from: wikipedia - zwinger)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Baja California Sur

Enceinte

We just learned about the Bailey.

Another part of a castle is the Enceinte.

This is wall and towers that go around a courtyard area to protect it from outside attackers.


(from: wikipedia - enceinte)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Colima

Bailey

We just learned about the Motte.

Another part of a castle is the Bailey.

A bailey is a big courtyard with a wall around it, that is next to the motte.

The motte was up higher, so people could be up on the bailey and look down into the bailey to make sure everything was going ok.


(from: wikipedia - motte and bailey)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Campeche

Motte

We just learned about Castles and Palaces.

Castles have all sorts of different things that they use for defense or attack.

One thing some castles have is called a Motte.

A motte is like a large hill made out of dirt, with the top part being flattened out.
Usually there was also a ditch around the bottom of the motte, and a castle was built on top of the flat hill.


(from: wikipedia - castle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nayarit

Castles and Palaces

We just learned about the Frankenstein Castle.

So far we've learned about a lot of castles and palaces, but what's the difference between a castle and a palace?

The word castle comes from the a word meaning "fortified place".
The word palace comes from the hill named "Palatine Hill" in Rome, where the Roman Emperor's lived.

A castle is a place that is fortified, which means it usually has big walls, or a moat, or other ways of protecting the people who live there form being attacked.
It's also the home of a royal person like a lord or noble.

A palace is a big fancy building, and usually the home of someone royal like a king, or bishop, but they are not usually fortified because people are always coming to visit.

Another building name was "fortress" which is kind of like a castle but usually not a home for a royal person.



(from: wikipedia - castle)

(from: wikipedia - palace)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tlaxcala