Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Parapet:
Outer railing of the wall walk.
Crenellation:
A gap-toothed pattern of stones atop the parapet.
Hoardings (or Gallery or Brattice):
Wooden huts built onto the upper parts of
the stone walls. They served as watch towers, living quarters, and fighting plat-
forms.
Machicolation:
Astoneledgejutting outfromthewall,fitted withholesinthebot-
tom. Ifthe enemy was scaling the walls, soldiers could droprocksorboiling oil
down through the holes and onto the enemy below.
Barbican:
A fortified gatehouse, sometimes a stand-alone building located outside
the main walls.
Drawbridge:
A bridge that could be raised or lowered, using counterweights or a
chain-and-winch.
Portcullis:
A heavy iron grille that could be lowered across the entrance.
Postern Gate:
A small, unfortified side or rear entrance used during peacetime. In
wartime, itcouldbecomea“sally-port” usedtolaunchsurpriseattacks, orasan
escape route.
France is part of the 28-member European Union (or EU, a kind of “United States of
Europe”), whichhassuccessfully dissolved bordersandimplemented acommon currency,
