Castell - the human towers of Catalonia, Spain!

Castells are human towers from Catalonia which have traditionally been built during festivals and celebrations for over 300 years now. It's a unique activity to the region, and the tradition is kept alive by youngsters, children as well as elderlies who all participate in building these towers! It's an art, a tradition and way of life to people here :)

Castell - the human tower of Catalonia!

When I was in Catalonia I got to witness the building if these tower, and the first thing that struck me was the similarity with the human towers of cities across Maharashtra, India built during dahi handi festivals. Both are high energy activities where traditionally only men participated, but with changing times now women also participate. However, it's history as interesting as is the activity!

History of Castells

Early in the 18th Century in Iberian Peninsula in Spain, the first celebrations of the Virgin of Health took place. As part of these celebrations a very interesting tradition also started called Muixeranga, which had it's origins in the Arabic word mochain, which means mask. Muixeranga collectively includes ancient street dances and human castles (towers) and had a strong religious background.



At a similar time another similar tradition started in another part of Catalonia, Valls. However, unlike Muixeranga the focus here is on building the biggest possible human towers. There is another very important aspect to the castells - they are considered a success only if they can be built and dismantled in quick succession. In fact the complete tower is in position only a for a few seconds when the last person, enxaneta, climbs to the top and raises one hand, with four fingers intact which symbolises the stripes of the Catalan flag.

In 2010 castells were declared by UNESCO to be amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

My visit to Casa Batlló

I got to witness a castell formation in Barcelona and it was a complete surprise for me. I must also confess that before this evening I had no clue what a castell was, and had more interest in my dinner at Casa Batlló than this activity.

Casa Batlló at night 

Inside Casa Batlló

It was completely dark and Casa Batlló was beautifully lit in soft lights and the entire building was sealed off bounds to tourists because of our visit. Sometimes it can be such privilege to be a part of a press group. A visit to this Gaudi classic was a dream come true for me, and I simply happy to be here. I walked up and down and clicked a few images, but it was quite a surprise when I saw a bunch of young men rushing in and out of a changing room.

This was my cue to capture a background story, though I still wasn't sure what a castell actually is. I met and spoke to many guys there and they were happy to see my curiosity and told me lots about the towers while they quickly stoppered off, got into their uniforms and helped others to get ready as well. Luckily for me they all spoke decent English which can sometimes be a challenge in Spain.

A Casteller in deep thought 

Casteller of all age group participate :)

The dress of a casteller, as these young men and women are called, consists of white trousers, a black sash, a head-band and a coloured shirt often bearing the team's emblem. The sash is the most complicated part and often requires help form others to wear.

I interviewed Marc Codera who comes from a small town in Catalonia and was introduced to this activity by his mother when he was young. As he grew up, his interest in it grew more and more and now he is an active participant of the group which meets regularly and makes these towers, both in Spain and abroad. Marc is a full-time corporate job, but he always finds time to practice with his castell friends :)

Marc Codera

In the last few years the practice has seen much transformation and now even women participate in large numbers. In fact, they do the exact same thing as guys do and do it as well. What also surprised me was the presence of kids as young as 8 years old and men as old as 80 getting ready for the performance!

Young girls ready to build the tower!

Within in a few minutes, there was a big bang and they quickly want out to the open terrace and I followed them in the group, the only outsider in a bunch of Catalans. But no-one seemed to mind :)

Over the next hour or so, the bunch made several towers of different styles, each mightier than the other. Usually the towers are built in two steps - first the base of the tower is built, and once it is stabilised the upper stories are quickly made so as to put minimal stress on the members who build the foundation. For the few seconds that the tower is in it's completeness, it's a matter of pride and honour for all castellers, and matter of amazement of viewers!

The first step - make the foundation strong 

Step two - build the high storeys!

Dinner at Casa Batlló

I met my new friends after the performance and wished them luck with even more ambitious Castells in future, and then it was time for dinner. I then ate one of the fanciest dinners of my life inside a building which is a living museum, and revelled at how perfect this evening turned out to be.

Here is how perfectly laid out our dinner was. Ah!

Dinner at Casa Batlló

How to reach Casa Batlló?

Here is the address:
Passeig de Gràcia, 43,
08007 Barcelona, Spain

And here is the map:



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Disclaimer: I was in Spain on invitation of the Catalan Tourism Board. All views expressed above are unbiased and based on personal experiences.