Nestled in the mountains of North Ossetia, centuries-old stone towers are a noticeable part of the landscape. And while the North Caucasian Republic looks to the future, some of the historic towers are being raised from the ruins by local citizens.

In the 16th century, the towers were more than just homes or defensive lookouts – they showed the status of the owner.

“The tower was the symbol not just of craftsmanship, but also wealth, influence and the importance of a family it belonged to. If the tower was big, then the people treated its owner and his family with great respect and understood that this family was very powerful,” said an ethnographer, Elbrus Kantemirov.

Meanwhile, integration with Russia in the 18th century began to diminish the cultural and military importance of the buildings. But today some families from the local villages began to rebuild their family's stone towers as they feel it is a vital step in reviving Ossetian culture and preserving it for their descendents.