Lowland castle

The term lowland castle (also lowland fortress or lowland castle called ) referred after the topographic castle Typology castles that are in the lowland or in a valley bottom. They are fundamentally different from the hilltop castles that are built on natural hills. In Germany, about 34 percent of the proven castles are lowland castles.

Since lowland castles do not have the defensive advantage of a natural elevation, other good defensible installation locations are preferably chosen such as river or lake islands or marshes. Lacked such natural obstacles, the artificial approach obstacles such as water-filled or dry ditches, ramparts, palisades and ramparts, an increased importance came to. For the elevation relative to the surrounding terrain artificial embankments could be created (as with the moth ), and also towers fulfill this purpose.

The early medieval systems ( among other Slavic castles, Saxon castles ) often have a narrow deep ditch and high and steep earthen banks.

Lowland castles are naturally mainly found in lowlands, such as the North German lowlands or in the Netherlands. But even in mountainous valley castles were occasionally applied, for example, in the valley as an island castle on a river island (for example Pfalzgrafenstein ).

Types

  • Wasserburg: Generic term for all castle types that use water as an approximation obstacle.

On the basis of their topographic location, lowland castles can be further subdivided into:

  • River Castle: castle built on the riverfront. Usually additionally surrounded by a moat, fed by river water.
  • Shore castle: Castle on a sea or lake shore. As with the river castle provide artificial ditches usually connects to the waters.
  • Island Castle: Castle on a natural, less commonly, artificial island in a river or lake.
  • Swamp Castle: Castle in a marsh or moorland. It uses the natural inaccessibility of the terrain as a defensive advantage.
  • Talburg: castle in a valley bottom.

A special form are called dams, weirs which are connected by the valley walls with slope or summit castles, so that this castle type is a combination of hilltop castle and lowland castle. An example of this are the castles of Bellinzona.

Designation by the function:

  • Bridge Castle: A castle system for monitoring and securing a river crossing.
  • Harbour Castle: A castle, which is applied to protect a harbor.

Examples

  • Caerlaverock Castle, water castle with a triangular base, Scotland
  • Eilean Donan Castle, restored island castle, Scotland
  • Warwick Castle, River Castle, England
  • Chateau de Sully -sur -Loire, water castle in the Loire Valley, France
  • Beersel Castle, late medieval brick castle, Belgium
  • Castle wet rock, a castle on the site of a Roman fort, Germany
  • Gross Raden, early medieval Slavic Island Castle, Germany
  • Dankwarderode Castle, Burgenland the Dukes of Brunswick, Germany
  • Malbork Castle, seat of the Teutonic Order and the largest brick building in Europe, Poland
Topography Gord (archaeology) Lowland (disambiguation) Pfalzgrafenstein Castle Ohre Marsh castle Hillside castle Three Castles of Bellinzona Château de Sully-sur-Loire Teutonic Knights Barbara Schock-Werner Integrated Authority File
336529
de