Castle Walls Overview
Castle walls not only provided structure and protection, but also added to the aesthetic of the castle. Castles most typically had white walls, as seen in the Himeji castle, however there are many examples of castles that had different types of walls. Kumamoto castle is famous for it's black walls. Behind walls, there were often many trees. These trees were often pine trees. Trees acted as a shield from arrows and bullets, but also allowed for extra timber if needed. In addition, trees helped add to the overall aesthetic of the castle, and provided a food source. (Elements and Features 153-154)
Stone Bases
One of the weaknesses of early Japanese castles were the earth foundation that was used. This earth foundation was unstable, and only 2 or 3 stories were able to be built. Earth foundations were usually on a hill where forest had been cleared away. With the development of stone bases came the development of higher buildings, towers, and keeps. The stone bases are referred to as the "essence of 'Japanese Castles'". These bases were typically adorned with wooden buildings and plastered walls. Stone bases were all of the same thickness. Because of this, their outer surface provided a strong defense.
The use of stone in Japanese castles helped to eliminate the problem of soil erosion and weather damage. With the use of stone, castles were also more resistant to earthquakes. These stones followed a careful geometric arrangement, where behind the large stone there were two layers of pebbles. These smaller stones were used to fill up gaps and strengthen the larger stones. If you were to take a cross section of a castle's stone base, it would be wedge shaped.
Castle Advancement
Castles advanced forward significantly with the introduction of trigonometry. Trigonometry allowed the walls to become long, curved and sloped. These types of walls helped to absorb earthquakes well. The introduction of stone allowed architects to develop castles to be more complex and strong, creating castles that were thought at one time to be impossible to build. (Design and Development 138-140)
Defensive Walls
Defensive walls used around Japanese castles were carved from earth. They were then clad in stone helping to make stone walls thicker, and adding protection to the castle
Earth Walls
One advantage of using Earth walls for Japanese castles were how economical they were. They were also able to be resurrected with great speed, meaning that they were a good means of fortification to strengthen defenses before a siege. However, using this type of walls also had disadvantages. Earth walls were only a temporary solution because they would erode over time. In addition, the towers built on them were only able to be two stories high, limiting the possible architecture and style that the castle could have.
Castle walls not only provided structure and protection, but also added to the aesthetic of the castle. Castles most typically had white walls, as seen in the Himeji castle, however there are many examples of castles that had different types of walls. Kumamoto castle is famous for it's black walls. Behind walls, there were often many trees. These trees were often pine trees. Trees acted as a shield from arrows and bullets, but also allowed for extra timber if needed. In addition, trees helped add to the overall aesthetic of the castle, and provided a food source. (Elements and Features 153-154)
Stone Bases
One of the weaknesses of early Japanese castles were the earth foundation that was used. This earth foundation was unstable, and only 2 or 3 stories were able to be built. Earth foundations were usually on a hill where forest had been cleared away. With the development of stone bases came the development of higher buildings, towers, and keeps. The stone bases are referred to as the "essence of 'Japanese Castles'". These bases were typically adorned with wooden buildings and plastered walls. Stone bases were all of the same thickness. Because of this, their outer surface provided a strong defense.
The use of stone in Japanese castles helped to eliminate the problem of soil erosion and weather damage. With the use of stone, castles were also more resistant to earthquakes. These stones followed a careful geometric arrangement, where behind the large stone there were two layers of pebbles. These smaller stones were used to fill up gaps and strengthen the larger stones. If you were to take a cross section of a castle's stone base, it would be wedge shaped.
Castle Advancement
Castles advanced forward significantly with the introduction of trigonometry. Trigonometry allowed the walls to become long, curved and sloped. These types of walls helped to absorb earthquakes well. The introduction of stone allowed architects to develop castles to be more complex and strong, creating castles that were thought at one time to be impossible to build. (Design and Development 138-140)
Defensive Walls
Defensive walls used around Japanese castles were carved from earth. They were then clad in stone helping to make stone walls thicker, and adding protection to the castle
Earth Walls
One advantage of using Earth walls for Japanese castles were how economical they were. They were also able to be resurrected with great speed, meaning that they were a good means of fortification to strengthen defenses before a siege. However, using this type of walls also had disadvantages. Earth walls were only a temporary solution because they would erode over time. In addition, the towers built on them were only able to be two stories high, limiting the possible architecture and style that the castle could have.