Castle drawbridges are bridges that can be lowered and raised during the defense of a castle. They may be located over a moat (or crevasse, chasm, canyon, or other abyss in fictional worlds). They may lead into a gatehouse or barbican. If the castle is in ruins, the drawbridge may be missing or on the verge of collapse.

When designing castle drawbridges, consider the mechanisms which allow it to be raised or lowered. If the castle is under siege, attackers may want to disrupt those mechanisms or gain control of the room that operates the drawbridge.