Gridhrakūta

A barbican (from Old French: barbacane) is a fortified outpost or gateway, such as at an outer defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes.

Barbicans were typically situated outside the main line of defenses and were connected to the city walls with a walled road called the neck.[1]

Fortifications in East Asia also feature similar high structures. In particular, gates in Chinese city walls were often defended by an additional "archery tower" in front of the main gatehouse, with the two towers connected by walls extending out from the main fortification. Literally called "jar walls", they are often referred to as "barbicans" in English.[3]