Moat

City wall, gate tower and moat as elements of the city fortifications in Friesach (Carinthia) on a painting by Markus Pernhart from the 19th century

Northern part of the moat in Friesach (Carinthia) at the so-called Fürstenhof

Contreescarp wall of the post ditch , a relic of the Speyer city fortifications . The solid supports are easy to see.

The moat as part of the city fortifications was an obstacle to approach in the immediate vicinity of a medieval city . The artificially created moat could completely enclose the city area or partially cordon off it from the surroundings in particularly endangered areas. The ditch prevented attackers from getting directly to the city gates or the city wall . In particular, the use of heavy siege equipment such as a convertible tower or battering ram could be effectively hindered.

Large parts of the moat are preserved in

Lübeck : Lübeck city moat
Düsseldorf : Stadtgraben (Düsseldorf)
Emden : Emden city moat
Breslau : City moat in Breslau
Görlitz : City moat
Ahrweiler : city moat
Kronach : moat
Nuremberg
Meiningen : moat system
Noerdlingen (Bavaria)
Friesach (Carinthia) and
Schrobenhausen : City wall Schrobenhausen

Depending on the geography and location of the watercourses, city ditches were created as water or dry ditches.

The city ditches were often stabilized with retaining walls, with the lining wall facing the city fortifications being referred to as the Eskarpemauer in the fortress construction , and the wall facing away from the city as the Kontreeskarpemauer.

Moat

See also