A barbican (from Old French: barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes.
In the Middle Ages, barbicans were typically situated outside the main line of defenses, and were connected to the city walls with a walled road called the neck.[1] In the 15th century, with the improvement in siege tactics and artillery, barbicans lost their significance.[2] Barbicans were built well into the 16th century. Fortified or mock-fortified gatehouses remained a feature of ambitious French and English residences well into the 17th century. Portuguese medieval fortification nomenclature uses barbican to describe any wall outside of and lower than the main defensive wall that forms a second barrier. The barrier may be complete, extensive or only protect particularly weak areas. The more restrictive term gate barbican is used for structures protecting gates.[3]
Arab world
The origin of the English word barbican is thought to be found in either Persian or Arabic (see here or here).
Paul Deschamps (1888–1974) interpreted the Arabic word 'bashura[h]' as used in 13th-century chronicles to mean barbican, a defensive structure placed ahead of a gate, but this has been debunked,[4] 'bashura' denoting rather an entire section of the outer fortifications, which may include a barbican, but also a bastion, gate, tower, or all of those together.[5]
East Asia
Fortifications in East Asia also feature similar high structures. In particular, gates in Chinese city walls were often defended by an additional "archery tower" in front of the main gatehouse, with the two towers connected by walls extending out from the main fortification. Literally called "jar walls", they are often referred to as "barbicans" in English.[6]
^Noé, Paula. "Guia de Inventário — Fortificações Medievais e Modernas" (PDF). www.monumentos.pt (in Portuguese). Instituto da Habitação e Reabilitação Urbana. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
^Fulton, Michael S. (2016). Artillery in and around the Latin East (1097-1291)(PDF). PhD thesis, Cardiff University. pp. 232–233. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
^Raphael, Kate (2010). Muslim Fortresses in the Levant: Between Crusaders and Mongols. Culture and Civilization in the Middle East. Routledge. p. 185. ISBN9781136925252. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
^Quan, Yuan. "New realities 'rebuild' Beijing's lost city gates". China Daily. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
. City of London. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
"Castle Architecture - Gates". Castles and Man or Houses. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
External links
Look up barbican in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
barbican, this, article, about, type, building, other, uses, disambiguation, barbican, from, french, barbacane, fortified, outpost, fortified, gateway, such, outer, defense, perimeter, city, castle, tower, situated, over, gate, bridge, which, used, defensive, . This article is about the type of building For other uses see Barbican disambiguation A barbican from Old French barbacane is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway such as at an outer defense perimeter of a city or castle or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes The Barbican in Krakow The barbican of the White Tower in Nuremberg reconstruction Contents 1 Europe 2 Arab world 3 East Asia 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEurope EditIn the Middle Ages barbicans were typically situated outside the main line of defenses and were connected to the city walls with a walled road called the neck 1 In the 15th century with the improvement in siege tactics and artillery barbicans lost their significance 2 Barbicans were built well into the 16th century Fortified or mock fortified gatehouses remained a feature of ambitious French and English residences well into the 17th century Portuguese medieval fortification nomenclature uses barbican to describe any wall outside of and lower than the main defensive wall that forms a second barrier The barrier may be complete extensive or only protect particularly weak areas The more restrictive term gate barbican is used for structures protecting gates 3 Arab world EditThe origin of the English word barbican is thought to be found in either Persian or Arabic see here or here Paul Deschamps 1888 1974 interpreted the Arabic word bashura h as used in 13th century chronicles to mean barbican a defensive structure placed ahead of a gate but this has been debunked 4 bashura denoting rather an entire section of the outer fortifications which may include a barbican but also a bastion gate tower or all of those together 5 East Asia EditFortifications in East Asia also feature similar high structures In particular gates in Chinese city walls were often defended by an additional archery tower in front of the main gatehouse with the two towers connected by walls extending out from the main fortification Literally called jar walls they are often referred to as barbicans in English 6 See also EditGatehouse Krakow Barbican Warsaw Barbican Saint Laurence Gate Drogheda Wall of VilniusReferences Edit Castle Barbican medievalchronicles com medievalchronicles Retrieved 12 July 2019 Castle Architecture Gateways amp Barbicans www castlesandmanorhouses com Retrieved 12 July 2019 Noe Paula Guia de Inventario Fortificacoes Medievais e Modernas PDF www monumentos pt in Portuguese Instituto da Habitacao e Reabilitacao Urbana Retrieved 2 March 2021 Fulton Michael S 2016 Artillery in and around the Latin East 1097 1291 PDF PhD thesis Cardiff University pp 232 233 Retrieved 4 May 2021 Raphael Kate 2010 Muslim Fortresses in the Levant Between Crusaders and Mongols Culture and Civilization in the Middle East Routledge p 185 ISBN 9781136925252 Retrieved 4 May 2021 Quan Yuan New realities rebuild Beijing s lost city gates China Daily Retrieved 12 July 2019 Barbican Estate history City of London Archived from the original on 8 April 2019 Retrieved 12 July 2019 Castle Architecture Gates Castles and Man or Houses Retrieved 12 July 2019 External links Edit Look up barbican in Wiktionary the free dictionary Media related to Barbicans at Wikimedia Commons Barbican Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 3 11th ed 1911 Barbican at Location Textures Barbican A Fortified Outpost Of Old Town Of Krakow Poland on DreamSite Parts of Medieval Castles Krakow Barbican The Last Remains of the City s Medieval Defences Archived 2019 04 14 at the Wayback Machine on Absolute Tours Barbican on Encyclopaedia Britannica Castle Barbican on Medieval Chronicles Barbican on Ancient Fortresses This military base or fortification article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Barbican amp oldid 1136038560, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
