the.com/parapet
the low wall that turns a rooftop from death trap into vantage point
means A low protective wall or railing along the edge of a roof, balcony, bridge, or fortification, meant to keep people from falling and to shield defenders.
from From Italian 'parapetto,' literally 'protect the breast' — 'parare' (to guard or ward off, the same root that gives us 'parasol' and 'parachute') plus 'petto' (chest, from Latin 'pectus'). It entered English in the late 16th century through French, originally describing the breast-high battlements soldiers crouched behind.
- war roots
- Italian for protecting the chest in battle
- code minimum
- Often legally required at 42 inches tall
- castle cousin
- Battlement notches let archers shoot then hide
- fire duty
- Stops flames leaping roof to roof between buildings
- flat roofs
- Hides ugly HVAC clutter from the street
great wall of china — defensive wall with parapets stretching 13,171 miles across northern china
carcassonne fortress — medieval walled city in france with double-layered parapets built 12th-13th century
tower of london — norman fortress in london with crenellated parapets from 1066