Tag:barrier=city_wall
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Description |
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A fortification used to defend settlements in ancient to modern times. ![]() |
Rendering in OSM Carto |
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Group: barriers |
Used on these elements |
Implies |
Useful combination |
See also |
Status: approved![]() |
Error loading from Taginfo API.
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Tools for this tag |
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A city wall is a fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclosing settlements.
How to map
Draw a way along the city wall and add barrier=city_wall
. For wider walls, draw an area along the city wall outline and add barrier=city_wall
+area=yes
(or type=multipolygon
for multipolygon relation).
Use historic=yes
for historic city walls.
If there is a higher and a lower terrain on either side of the city wall (similar to barrier=retaining_wall
), then the lower terrain (usually outside the settlement) should be on the right side of the line, relative to the drawn way direction. If there is no height difference, two_sided=yes
should be added (see proposal).
Examples with visualisation:
Case | Drawn way | Rendering example | Tagging | Description |
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With height difference | ![]() |
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barrier=city_wall
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There are different terrain heights to the left and right of the city wall. Behaves the same as barrier=retaining_wall : the lower side is on the right side of the way direction; marked with dots in the rendering example.
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Without height difference | ![]() |
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barrier=city_wall + two_sided=yes
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Both sides of the city wall have the same (terrain) height; marked with dots on both sides in the rendering example. |
See also
defensive_works=*
– Tags for all defensive structures found in and around fortificationshistoric=citywalls
– Alternative tagging for historic city walls (rendered in OSM Carto)historic=city_gate
– A gate which is or was set in a city wallhistoric=castle_wall
– For walls around a castle (not for settlements)barrier=wall
+wall=castle_wall
– Castle walls