What is a Guard Tower?
A guard tower is a structure which is designed to command an excellent view of the surrounding area. Guard towers make regions more defensible by giving people an opportunity to see potential threats from a great distance, and they are also used as a form of crowd control, since guard towers can be used to keep an eye on citizens. Typically, guard towers are significantly higher than the surrounding structures and geographical features, to keep the view free and unobscured. The practice of building guard towers is ancient. Numerous archaeological sites in former cities and urban areas show evidence of guard towers at high points in the surrounding area, and guard towers on castles and similar structures have endured to this day. Such towers are also an important part of modern prison architecture, and they are also used by many militaries along contested borders and at military facilities which require protection.
