the.com/battlement
medieval architecture that turned dodging arrows into a tasteful design choice.
means A notched parapet along the top of a castle wall or tower, with alternating raised sections and gaps that let defenders shoot while staying sheltered.
from From Old French batailler, 'to fortify with battlements,' which threads back to bataille, 'battle' — itself from Late Latin battualia, 'fighting exercises.' So the word carries the fight right up into the stonework: a wall dressed for war.
- gap teeth
- The notches are called crenels, the solid bits merlons.
- shoot and hide
- Soldiers fired through gaps, ducked behind stone, repeated.
- status symbol
- Many later ones were purely decorative bragging rights.
- licensed walls
- England required royal permission to crenellate your home.
- murder holes
- Some had floor gaps for dropping nasty surprises down.
tower of london — medieval fortress with distinctive crenellated battlements built by william the conqueror in 1066
carcassonne — french walled city with 52 towers featuring prominent battlements, restored in the 19th century
conwy castle — welsh castle with eight towers ringed by battlements, built 1283-1289 by edward i