Village fortifications are not a fixed set of coordinates to find, nor are they a pre-existing structure hidden in a corner of the world. When we talk about where these defenses are, we are referring more to the defensive system that players need to plan and build with their own hands around their village.
The location and form of the fortifications depend on your village’s environment and your own design ideas. The core objective is to keep pillagers and other unwanted visitors outside the villagers’ living areas.
You can either encircle the entire village with walls or establish fortresses only at key junctions. The answer to the question of “where” is: around your village, in those directions from which enemies might approach.
The core idea of building fortifications lies in reasonable layout and functional integration. You need to consider the terrain, which is the primary factor determining the location and type of defenses. If your village is located on a flat plain, the most common approach is to build a perimeter wall at least 3 blocks high around the village. This is the most direct and effective barrier, capable of stopping ordinary pillagers from entering.
If the village is next to a river or ocean, you are in luck. Natural bodies of water serve as the first line of defense. You can even dig a moat and place magma blocks in the water to create traps that continuously damage enemies.
For mountain villages, the natural steep cliffs themselves are excellent defenses. You only need to reinforce the gentle slopes or entrances, building watchtowers to gain the advantage of a commanding view.
After determining the approximate location and basic structure of the fortifications, you need to consider specific functional facilities. Having just a wall might not be enough. You should build auxiliary structures like arrow towers at key points, such as the four corners of the wall, near the main gate, or at high vantage points.
This allows you to safely shoot arrows at enemies outside from within the tower. Security-conscious players might also consider adding a roof to the wall to prevent spiders from climbing over.
Trapdoors are a very useful small tool. You can embed them in the lower half of the wall. Keep them closed normally to maintain the wall’s integrity, and open them during combat to create a small window. From there, you can safely slash at nearby zombies with your sword or shoot arrows at a creeper’s feet.
It’s best to place all defensive facilities slightly away from the villagers’ main activity areas and homes to avoid accidentally harming them or causing them to panic and run around during fights.
Besides relying on structures and terrain, you can also utilize the power of mobs for cooperative defense. Many players think of the village’s natural guardians—the iron golems. Iron golems that spawn naturally in the village or that you summon yourself are powerful assets against enemies.
Some players also use snow golems in their defenses. Although the snowballs from snow golems do not deal high direct damage, they can knock enemies back. Under specific conditions (like having the snowballs pass through fire), they can also deal additional damage.
This approach involves partially delegating the responsibility of defense to these powerful allies, letting them fight on the front lines. However, the most fundamental defense still relies on the fortifications you build, providing a reliable base and fallback space for these guardians and yourself.
