The part of a drawbridge that moves up or to the side to allow boats and ships to pass underneath.
Compound of 'draw' (the mechanism that pulls it) and 'span' (a section that stretches across). Bridge terminology evolved from medieval fortifications.
Drawspans are architectural poetry in motion—they represent some of humanity's first automated machinery, with Renaissance engineers creating systems of ropes and weights that let a small crew lift massive bridge sections.
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