Defensive fortifications are structures built to protect a city or area from attack. The term can refer to a variety of structures, such as rams (4 letters), bastions (8 letters) and ramparts (8 letters). Rams are large, heavy objects used to break down walls or gates, while bastions are towers or projections built at the corners of a fortification. Ramparts are walls or embankments that form part of a defensive system. All three of these structures are designed to provide protection from enemy forces.