contrescarpe

The counterscarpe, or counterscarp, is a term from fortification design describing the outer face or outer slope of a defensive ditch surrounding a fortified place. It runs opposite the scarp, which is the inner face toward the fortress. The ditch itself creates a layered barrier, with the scarp facing the interior and the counterscarpe facing outward.

In construction terms, the counterscarpe may be an earth-filled ramp or a stone- or masonry-faced wall. Its height, slope, and stability are important for the ditch’s effectiveness, drainage, and durability. The top edge of the counterscarpe often forms part of the surrounding parapet or firing positions, and in some designs the area along the counterscarpe is used by defenders to cover approaches to the ditch.

Functionally, the counterscarpe contributes to the defensive depth of the fortification by increasing the required obstacle for attackers and shaping lines of fire along the ditch. It also interacts with the scarp to complicate undermining attempts and to concentrate artillery and infantry fire at the critical points of the ditch.

Historically, the concept appears in medieval and especially early modern fortifications, including star fort systems where elaborate ditch and parapet networks were common. Today, the term survives in archaeological and historical descriptions of fortifications, preserving the distinction between the inner scarp and outer counterscarpe as features of the defensive landscape.