▁examples ▁are ▁now ▁only ▁in ▁a ▁small ▁area ▁of ▁Lower ▁Sax ony ▁in ▁Germany ▁near ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Lü ch ow . ▁ 1 5 ▁of ▁these ▁villages ▁have ▁been ▁put ▁forward ▁as ▁an ▁ensemble ▁for ▁consideration ▁as ▁possible ▁World ▁Heritage ▁S ites , ▁and ▁a ▁decision ▁is ▁expected ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁years . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁City ▁Hall ▁Os lo ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁the ▁Rund lings verein ▁were ▁awarded ▁the ▁Grand ▁Prix ▁for ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁Prize ▁for ▁Cultural ▁Heritage / E uropa ▁N ost ra ▁Award ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁This ▁was ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁ 4 6 ▁years ▁of ▁volunt ary ▁work ▁in ▁pres erving ▁these ▁ancient ▁settlement s . ▁ ▁Such ▁villages ▁were ▁originally ▁found ▁across ▁a ▁strip ▁of ▁central ▁Germany ▁from ▁K iel ▁to ▁Boh emia ▁( where ▁they ▁are ▁various ly ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁a ▁Rund ling , ▁Rund dorf , ▁Rund lings dorf , ▁Rund platz dorf ▁or ▁Platz dorf ), ▁often ▁indicated ▁by ▁village ▁names ▁ending ▁in ▁- itz , ▁- ow ▁and ▁- th in . ▁V irt ually ▁all ▁such ▁Rund ling e ▁are ▁now ▁only ▁to ▁be ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁small ▁area ▁of ▁Wend land . ▁ ▁History ▁and ▁orig ins ▁▁ ▁There ▁are ▁no ▁contemporary ▁historical ▁records ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁these ▁circular ▁villages , ▁but ▁a ▁cons ensus ▁has ▁ar isen ▁in ▁recent ▁dec ades ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁founded ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century , ▁on