An aul (; ce, oil; russian: аул) is a type of fortified village or town found throughout the
Caucasus mountains and
Central Asia.
The word itself is of Turkic origin and simply means ''village'' in many Turkic languages. Auyl ( kk, Ауыл) is a Kazakh word meaning "village" in
Kazakhstan.
The auls of
Svaneti (in the
Republic of Georgia
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
), with their distinctive medieval towers, have been recognized as a
World Heritage Site.
"Upper Svaneti - UNESCO World Heritage Centre"
''UNESCO World Heritage Centre'', United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Comparable towers may be found elsewhere in the Caucasus, specifically in Ingushetia
Ingushetia (; russian: Ингуше́тия; inh, ГӀалгӏайче, Ghalghayče), officially the Republic of Ingushetia,; inh, Гӏалгӏай Мохк, Ghalghay Moxk is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe. ...
.
The auls are generally built out of stone, on faces of ridges or against cliffs in order to provide protection against surprise attacks. Houses are usually two stories high, and they are staggered to make it virtually impossible for enemies to get anywhere on the roads. The houses usually have a southern aspect to take advantage of the sun in the winter and to be sheltered from the northern winds. Often, they are not located near good farmland or water sources, so it is necessary to bring water into the settlement.
In the 19th century, as Russia fought to conquer the Caucasus, auls were very formidable defences and could be taken for the most part only by storming.
References
{{Reflist
Types of village
Populated places in Russia
Populated places in the Caucasus
Geography of the Caucasus
Rural geography
Types of populated places