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Achartaque (Ottoman Turkish:چارطاق, fromPersian:چهارتاقchahartaq, literally "having four arches"; inGerman:Tschartake, inTurkish:Çardak) is awatchtower and important element of the fortification systems in the time of theOttoman Empire.
The original form, to which the name relates, was built of four logs, but over timechartaques were built in different sizes depending on the number of defending units. Fundamentally they were places of observation and defence. A characteristic structural feature ofchartaques is that they consisted of a lookout tower with apalisade around the base. Other defensive works such asschanzen,abatis,ramparts andditches were often built in the vicinity as additional protection against an enemy.
The construction of achartaque was an operation that lasted several weeks. In 1706, during the time of theKuruc wars, precise details are known about the fortifications of theKuruc schanzen in eastern Styria. For one four-manchartaque, thus a relatively small one (there were alsochartaques for up to 20 men), which was to be built inGoritz bei Radkersburg, about three kilometres north of the town ofRadkersburg, the following was assessed to be needed: 20 workers (socagers from the surrounding villages), eightlog posts each of threefathoms (ca. 18 feet long), 24 logs for beams and wall benches, 18 logs for the upper and lower floors, 25 battens, 75 wide boards, 400 batten nails, 1,000 shingle nails, 67 carts and, as for tradesmen, mastercarpenter: 18 man days and carpenter's apprentices: 54 man days. Such achartaque came at a cost of 28guilders and 24kreuzer (plus the "free" socage). For two or threechartaques an overseer was appointed in addition to the crews of eachchartaque.[1] For the rebuilding of anotherchartaque which was burned down to its supporting posts, the cost was estimated at 30 guilders.[2] There were alsochartaques that were additionally protected by a smallredoubt (redutierte Tschartaken), the redoubt costing an estimated 40 guilders.[3] For largerchartaques for 12-15 men, 32 construction-quality logs (Stubenbäume), six rafter logs (Gesparrbäume), four complete trees for the posts, 75 standard boards and 1,500 batten nails were needed.[4]
TheOttomans took over these installations from their eastern neighbours, thePersians, who had long been their enemies, and used the idea against their western enemies. Thuschartaques found their way to theStyrian-Hungarian border area and were adopted, in turn, by their opponents.
At first they were built by the Styrians andLower Austrians as part of their defence against the Ottomans and later strengthened to defend their lands against theKurucs.Chartaques were usually erected in lines in order to be able to relay warning shots and other visual and audible messages. Depending on the state of the terrain, they might be arranged at intervals of about one to three kilometres. They were supporting elements of defensive lines. For example, between Radkersburg andFehring, a distance of about 27 kilometresas the crow flies, 13chartaques were built, and between Fehring andFürstenfeld from theRaab valley to theLafnitz valley, a distance of about 15 kilometres, 18-19chartaques were erected.[5] The description of these military installations has survived to the present day.[6] They were also installed as part of theBaroque lines of fortification in southwest Germany, where they were also calledchartaques.
Today only a very fewchartaques have survived. In several places, however, they have been faithfully reconstructed. For example, inBurgau in 1995, achartaque was reconstructed on theLafnitz, once the border river betweenAustria andHungary.[7] Other reconstructions are found on theEppingen Lines.
