Counterscarp
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A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides, respectively, of a ditch or moat used in fortifications. Attackers must descend the counterscarp and ascend the scarp. In permanent fortificat
Counterscarp of a Napoleon era polygonal fort (Fort Napoleon, Ostend). Counterscarps had become vertical by this time. The housing at the bottom of the ditch is a caponier from where the defenders could fire on attackers that managed to climb down into the ditch, while being protected from cannon fire themselves.
The counterscarp gallery at Southsea Castle in Portsmouth, England
Coupure
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A coupure is a means of closing an opening in a wall, floodwall or levee. The word comes from the French verb couper which means "to cut". In historic times a coupure was a location where a breach in
Counterscarp
…an angle so as to give no cover to the attackers, but to make advancing and retreating more difficult. If an attacker succeeds in breaching a wall, a coupure can be dug on the inside of the wall to hinder the forlorn hope, in which case the side of the ditch furthest from the breached wall and closest to the…
A coupure where the A2 motorway crosses the Diefdijk (Hollandic Water Line) in the Netherlands.
A coupure with a shed for storing the materials used to close the coupure in Het Hogeland
The opening
The wall from above