Himalayan towers

Since they are generally located in prosperous villages, it is believed that their primary function was that of a demonstration of a family's prestige within the community.

For strength, many of the towers use a star pattern of walls as opposed to a strictly rectangular method.

The towers were unknown to mainstream cultural experts in China prior to its enlistment as an endangered site.

The World Monument Fund has allocated resources to repair and conserve some of the towers which have been vandalized or neglected through time.

Locals have been pushing for the declaration of the towers and its landscape to be part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.