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.

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]

Gallery

• 
  Burghausen Castle, Bavaria, Germany
• 
  Beckov Castle, Slovakia
• 
  Klis Fortress near Split, Croatia

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.