Himalayan Towers

The Himalayan Towers also called Stone star-shaped towers, are a series of stone towers located mostly in Kham, a province of premodern Tibet, and in Sichuan. The towers are located principally in the Changtang and Kongpo regions of Tibet as well as in the area inhabited by the modern Qiang people and in the historical region inhabited by the Western Xia.

These towers can be found both in cities and in uninhabited regions. They were described for the first time during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Carbon dating by Frederique Darragon shows they were built approximately 500-1800 years ago. Since they are generally located in prosperous villages, it is believed that their primary function was as a demonstration of a family's prestige within the community. At that time, wealth was acquired especially by the trade with the Mongols. For strength, many of the towers use a star pattern of walls as opposed to a strictly rectangular method. Heights can exceed 60 metres (200 ft).

See also