Battlement

castles · medieval defense · architecture

Gaps for shooting. The gaps in a battlement are called embrasures, crenels, or crenelles. Defenders could poke their arrows or weapons through these openings to attack enemies below without fully exposing themselves.

Solid protective cover. The thick sections between the gaps provided cover for defenders. If enemies shot back, the soldiers could duck behind these solid walls to stay safe.

Creating a battlement. Cutting those rectangular gaps into a smooth stone wall is called crenellation. Once you added this pattern, the whole structure was called crenellated, castellated, or embattled.

Protective height. A battlement is a parapet that sits at just the right height, between chest and head level. This way defenders could lean over safely and still see enemies approaching.