Spur (topography)

As a spur of rock outcrop, cliff, or mountain terrain spur spur a rugged towering from a mountainside rock is called. He stands out from the surrounding terrain not only by its form, but often also by its geology ( rock type, tectonic ) projecting.

For the property of outcrops or inspire not one necessarily mean that they have a climax. Even after only a two or three sides sharply sloping ridge can be called a spur.

In the past, such steep situated on a valley locations at the spur or bluff preferred places for erecting castles, as they are difficult to access because of their location - called promontory - to defend particularly well were. You could also check out of here with the operations and send signals to neighboring castles. A problem arose in the case of a siege only the supply of drinking water dar.

Examples of such castle rock

Are mainly found in the Alps, while the Central German Uplands rarely have sharp rock spurs.

• In Carinthia and Styria Eppenstein the castle on a limestone rock.

• In Switzerland Wildenburg in Canton train.

• In South and Central Germany usually gentler mountain spurs: the Wildenstein Castle on the Danube Gorge
• Wachtenburg on the western edge of the Rhine Graben
• The slope Ehrenberg rock in Hesse
• The Kriebstein castle in Saxony
• The Burghausen Castle in Bavaria.