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]