Chemin de ronde

With battlements of the upper end of a defensive wall or a fortified tower in the form of a corridor is designated for defending the case of fixed assets such as castles, fortresses, fortified churches or fortified monasteries. It may consist of a wooden structure or stone. Battlements in smaller Roman forts were sometimes only one heaped on the inside of the wall rampart.

Variants

For narrow walls battlements collar inwards to create sufficient width that allows two people to pass each other. The protruding part of the corridor can be supported by wooden struts, corbels or by arcades. To the outside walkways are usually flush with the wall.

Walkways are provided to protect the defender with a wooden or stone parapet, which is often equipped with battlements and embrasures. As weather protection and for the purpose of covering up frequently have walkways and a canopy in the form of a desk - or gable roof. On the inside, high-altitude walkways are mostly provided with wooden railings, rarely completed by wood or timber.

In the late Middle Ages are more common to the outside (or both sides) projecting battlements. Stone parapets can be fitted in this way on the bottom with Machicolation (throwing rows ), with the help of attacking enemies can be fought at the wall base. For this type of construction is also the term " murder gang " used.

The same function has the hurdle, which protrudes as a wooden building to the outside.

At high walls, there are frequently multi-level walkways.

Open battlements of wood on the walls of Delitzsch

Covered battlements on the walls of Worms, City side

The stone parapet on consoles ( Old Waterworks in Bautzen )