Francesco di giorgio martini, architect of
siena, who lived in the middle of the 15th century, gives several examples of
these towers with armored upper batteries in his treatise on architecture
military44
in france, we found traces of these coverings in structures in the form of towers protecting salient areas45, which did not prohibit the use of ancient machicolations and crenelations. Here (fig. 35) is an example of these kinds of tricks. At a is drawn the
plan of the work at ground level of the square. Room d is pierced
embrasures for three cannon pieces; a staircase, open in the center
from this room, allows you to descend into the sparrow c', whose plan is
detailed in c. Room d, vaulted, is open on the side of the square, both
to help with the defense than to let the smoke escape. The tower
has a crenellated parapet with pyramid-shaped machicolations
reversed to facilitate shooting from top to bottom and better protect the
embankment. On the platform is established a casemated battery with four
embrasures, as indicated in plan b. These embrasures control
outside over the crest of the merlons. A masonry crosspiece e protects the men posted behind the parapet from enfilade and reverse blows. The vault of the battery and that of the sparrow are
covered with grit and clay and grass. The defensive system
of this tower is easy to understand. The low drums, with both
pieces a, put on the curtains, beat the ditch; and flanks the neighboring towers;
with her piece b she defends the counterscarp of the ditch opposite the point
dead. The high battery protects the outside; the sparrow prevents
passage of the ditch; the crenellations and machicoulis protect the base of
the work against close attack and undermining. Date: circa 1856.
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