Ridge castle explained

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.

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]

Literature

• Michael Losse: Kleine Burgenkunde. Regionalia, Euskirchen 2011, .

Notes and References

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