Thousands Compete in Traditional Spanish Human Tower Event

Thousands gathered at the Tarraco Arena in Tarragona, Spain, to witness the Castells competition, a centuries-old tradition where teams construct human towers.

The event, held every two years, brings together groups from across Catalonia to compete in building the tallest and most complex human structures.

During the recent competition, some teams successfully built towers reaching eight human storeys high. The Marrecs de Salt team emerged as the winner of Saturday's event.

These competitions involve teams of up to 500 individuals, including men, women, and children, working together to create towers that can ascend to ten levels, sometimes exceeding 40 feet in height. The most intricate and tallest tower is declared the winner.

This year marked the 30th staging of the competition, which dates back to 1932. However, not all attempts were successful, with some towers collapsing during construction, such as those formed by the Castellers de Barcelona and Castellers Joves de Valls.

The practice of building castells originated in the late 18th century and is a common sight in Catalan cities and towns outside of competitive events. The Tarragona contest represents a rare exception where these performances take place in a formal competitive setting.

A castell must have a minimum of six levels to be officially recognized, with each level having a specific designation. At the apex of the tower is the 'crowner,' who signals the completion of the structure by raising their arm.

Teams are typically identifiable by their uniforms and are often named after their region of origin. According to Europeana, team sizes can range from 100 to 1,000 members. The key elements for a successful tower, as noted in a 19th-century choral tune, are 'strength, balance, courage and good judgment.'