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Dwellings in Bhutan range from small, hardy farmhouses to massive fortresses called 'dzong' that dominate the surrounding valleys. Buildings in Bhutan are built for strength, revealing the self-sufficiency of a people so thinly settled that houses were often the front line of defense in wars past. The low population of Bhutan has historically inhibited the growth of cities, transforming houses into multipurpose enclaves that combine residential and religious functions. Farm houses generally have a room on the upper floor where families keep a Buddhist shrine. Living areas are either alongside or in the kitchen below. In the dzong fortresses, the clergy and civil officials live side-by-side in separate wings under the same roof. In all dwellings, the starkness of mud-brick walls is relieved by the colorfully painted wooden window frames and roofs, often projecting beyond the first floor. Color is used to great effect, but may be as ephemeral as a spread of red peppers drying on the roof.