page_title: Embrasure
hierarchical_section_title: Embrasure
caption_attribution_description: Fort La Latte, Côtes d'Armor, France
context_page_description: An embrasure is the opening in a battlement between the two raised solid portions, referred to as crenel or crenelle in a space hollowed out throughout the thickness of a wall by the establishment of a bay. This term designates the internal part of this space, relative to the closing device, door or window. In fortification this refers to the outward splay of a window or arrowslit on the inside.
  In ancient military engineering, embrasures were practised in the towers and the walls, in particular between the merlons and the battle. The loophole, arrow loop or arrowslit passes through a solid wall is thus an embrasure of shooting order to allow archer or gunner weapons to be fired out from the fortification while the firer remains under cover.
  This type of opening was flared inward, that is the doorway was very narrow on the outside, but wide on the inside, so that the archers had free space of movement and aiming, and that the attackers have as much difficulty as possible to reach them. There are embrasures especially in fortified castles and bunkers.
context_section_description: An embrasure is the opening in a battlement between the two raised solid portions, referred to as crenel or crenelle in a space hollowed out throughout the thickness of a wall by the establishment of a bay. This term designates the internal part of this space, relative to the closing device, door or window. In fortification this refers to the outward splay of a window or arrowslit on the inside.
  In ancient military engineering, embrasures were practised in the towers and the walls, in particular between the merlons and the battle. The loophole, arrow loop or arrowslit passes through a solid wall is thus an embrasure of shooting order to allow archer or gunner weapons to be fired out from the fortification while the firer remains under cover. 
  This type of opening was flared inward, that is the doorway was very narrow on the outside, but wide on the inside, so that the archers had free space of movement and aiming, and that the attackers have as much difficulty as possible to reach them. There are embrasures especially in fortified castles and bunkers. The generic term of loophole is gradually abandoned because of its imprecision, in favour of those more precise of archer, crossbowman, gunner archer. The splay of the wall on the inside provides room for the soldier and his equipment, and allows them to get as close to the wall face and arrow slit itself as possible. Examples of deep embrasures with arrowslits are to be seen at Aigues-Mortes and Château de Coucy, both in France.
  With the appearance of firearms, the embrasure designated more specifically the opening made in a fortified structure to allow the firing of these weapons. In modern architecture, the embrasures are provided during construction because they are intended to receive a door or a window. These are not openings made after construction.
caption: A loophole or inverted keyhole embrasure, allowing both arrow fire (through the arrowslit at the top) and small cannon fire through the circular openings, Fort-la-Latte, France
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