In medieval fortification, a bret?che or brattice is a small balcony with machicolations, usually built over a gate and sometimes in the corners of the fortress' wall, with the purpose of enabling defenders to shoot or throw objects at the attackers huddled under the wall.

In castle architecture, a balcony-like structure is most commonly called a Hoarding or a Breteche. A Hoarding was a temporary wooden balcony-like platform suspended from the top of a wall or tower during a siege, allowing defenders to drop stones or boiling liquids on attackers through holes in the floor (called machicolations). When these structures were built permanently into the stone, they became the iconic stone overhangs seen on many 2026 European castle ruins. A smaller, box-like balcony over a gateway used for defense is specifically called a Machicolation. If you are referring to a small, decorative balcony for viewing rather than defense, it might be called a Gallery or an Oriel. In 2026, many restored castles use these platforms as viewing decks, but their historical purpose was almost entirely focused on providing a tactical advantage during a frontal assault on the castle walls.