Human towers: “Els Castells”

This photos was taken the past sunday in Terrassa, in an human tower exhibition.

The human towers, or “castells” are a traditionally construction that take place in festivals at many locations within Catalonia. At these festivals, several teams or “Colles Castelleres” often succeed in building and dismantling a tower’s structure.

On November 16, 2010, this human towers or “castells” were declared by UNESCO to be amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

A “castell” is considered a success when stages of its assembling and disassembling, can be done in complete succession. The assembly is complete once all “castellers” have climbed into their designated places, and the “enxaneta” climbs into place at the top and raises one hand. The “enxaneta” then climbs down the other side of the castell, after which the remaining levels of “castellers” descend in highest-to-lowest order until all have reached safety.

Dictionary:

Castellers: All the people make part of human tower.
Castell: The human tower.
Colles Catelleres: Every team that make human towers.
Enxaneta: The child that climb up the top of human tower.