Ridge castle

A ridge castle (German: Kammburg) was a medieval fortification built on a ridge or the crest of mountain or hill chain.[1] It was one of several types of hill castle.

Burghausen Castle, Bavaria, Germany
Beckov Castle, Slovakia
Ruins of Montfort Castle in Israel.

Ridge castles were not a common type of fortification. While castles of this type were relatively well protected, they had the disadvantage that they could be attacked from two sides.[1] The similar spur castle, located at the end of a ridge, is protected by drop offs on three sides.

For mutual protection, several such castles could be built within sight of one another.

  • The Teutonic Knights' Montfort Castle, Israel, is a narrow ridge castle that relies for its defence on the steep rocky hillsides, lacking many of the innovations of the larger crusader castles and resembling smaller German baronial castles.[2]

References
  1. Friedrich-Wilhelm Krahe: Burgen des deutschen Mittelalters. Grundriss-Lexikon. Flechsig, Würzburg 2000, ISBN 3-88189-360-1, p. 18.
  2. Nicolle, David (2008). Crusader Castles in the Holy Land. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-349-0.

Literature
  • Michael Losse: Kleine Burgenkunde. Regionalia, Euskirchen 2011, ISBN 978-3-939722-39-7.
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