“Tarragona, City of Human Towers”. The four colles (human tower groups): Xiquets de Tarragona, Jove Xiquets de Tarragona, Xiquets del Serrallo and Castellers de Sant Pere i Sant Pau, in plaça de les Cols. The Cathedral is in the background.

A day in the life of a ‘Casteller’

Written by Enric Seritjol, organizer of Tarragona's Castell events

The Colla Jove de Castellers from Sitges and the Colla Castellera Sant Pere i Sant Pau perform in a joint round during the Tarragona Human Tower Competition. – © David Oliete

The Xicots from Vilafranca prepare the base of their tower during the Tarragona Human Tower Competition. – © David Oliete

The Colla Vella dels Xiquets from Valls build a 4de9fa during the Tarragona Human Tower Competition. – © David Oliete

The Castellers from Vilafranca complete a 4de9fa during the Tarragona Human Tower Competition. – © David Oliete

The Castellers from Barcelona about to crown a 4d8a during the Tarragona Human Tower Competition. – © David Oliete

The Colla Jove de Castellers from Sitges and the Colla Castellera Sant Pere i Sant Pau perform in a joint round during the Tarragona Human Tower Competition. – © David Oliete

'It’s eight o’clock on the dot. It is hot; the warm sunlight heats up the city. Breaking the morning's silence, are the sounds of the gralla (a type of Catalan popular wooden oboe). Tables everywhere are ready to honour the god Bacchus. People do the honours; eating, drinking, and making a lot of noise. All of a sudden… trumpets, dances of fire, mythological creatures. Here we go again, it is a festivity, but not just any.

People start filling up the square like little streams towards a river. More noise, more shouting. Some are lost in thought: ‘Are there toros in here?’ Someone says yes; there will be some horns, but only with two legs. There’s a balcony with people in costumes; they pop in and out, non-stop; all of them can speak different languages, but unable to understand a word.'

'People in coloured shirts can be spotted. Some are striped, some are green, blue and also purple: they are the colles (human-tower teams). The stream has turned into a river now. There’s tension. ‘We won’t make it!’, they fear every single year.

People start crowding together, one on top of the other. The whole square, copying the ones climbing, becomes shaky. There’s a little kid that makes it to the top, and waves his hand; everyone applauses with all their strength.

The Colla Castellera Sant Pere i Sant Pau crown a 2de7 during the Tarragona Human Tower Competition. - © David Oliete

‘What are they doing?’ –asks someone–. ‘They’re making castells’, –is the answer–.
We make castells in Tarragona.
Why don't you come see for yourself?

The Castells Human Towers were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

Tarragona Human Tower Building Competition - The biggest human tower building event in the world. from David Oliete on Vimeo.