What happens at castells?
What happens at castells?
A castell (Catalan pronunciation: [kəsˈteʎ]) is a human tower built traditionally at festivals in Catalonia, the Balearic islands and the Valencian Community. At these festivals, several colles castelleres (teams that build towers) attempt to build and dismantle a tower’s structure.
Are castells safe?
Catalan Castells are safer than ever with only 2.5% of the towers collapsing in 2013.
What are castells in Spain?
Every year in Spain, a Catalan tradition of building Castells—human towers reaching up to 10 stories—takes place. Teams called colles compete to build the tallest and most complex tower made only of human beings standing atop one another.
How is castells celebrated?
“Castells” (human towers) It is considered built when a young child climbs to the top and raises their hand. Hopefully, they won’t all topple down after, but if they do, the young children are wearing helmets for protection.
Why are castells celebrated?
Els Castells, the human towers, represent solidarity and team spirit among Catalan people. On these depend the success of the tower and even the life of the aixecadors, the young children that climb up to airy heights of more than eight meters to complete the tower.
What are the 5 levels of castells?
Large castells contain five main levels. The base is called the pinya, followed by the folre, the manilles, the tronk, and the pom de dalt. The tronk is the vertical structure in the center of the castell that holds the most weight.
What is castells festival?
Every year in Catalonia, Spain, there are festivals in which people come together to build colorful — and ridiculously tall — human towers that are supported by nothing but the participants’ strength, balance, and courage. These towers are called castells, which means ‘castles’ in Catalan.
Where does Los castells take place?
The Catalan tradition of building human towers or castells (the Catalan word for ‘castle’) originated in Valls, near the city of Tarragona in Catalonia, an autonomous community of Spain with its own distinct language and culture.
How are castells built?
Castells are constructed by Catalans of all ages, who stack themselves on top of each other by climbing up backs and shoulders. The practice was first documented in 1801 as a cultural activity and became a competition in the 1980s.
How many parts do the castells have?
The castells are divided into three parts: The pinya (bulk): bottom of the tower. Their role is to break any falls that might happen and they bear all of the weight of the castell. The tronc (trunk): vertical structure linking the base and the top of the tower.
What month is castells de Tarragona?
October
Concurs de Castells Tarragona 2016. Tarragona Castle Competition is a 2 day human tower building event and contest among 30 of the best castells groups (colles) in Catalunya which takes place every 2 years on the first weekend of October.
What is castells de Tarragona?
Tarragona celebrates the tradition of the ‘castells’ in spectacular fashion. This popular event involves people creating human towers up to a height of between six and ten tiers. The ‘castells’ (human castles) have been awarded the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity designation.
What are Castellers?
What are castellers? A castell, in the Catalan tradition, is a human tower or multilayered “construction” that can have different characteristics depending on their height and build. References to their presence in popular celebrations, especially in the area of Camp de Tarragona, first started to appear during the eighteenth century.
What is the history of castells in Catalonia?
Over the course of the 18th century, they spread to other towns and cities in the area, including Vilafranca del Penedès and Tarragona, though it was not until the last 50 years that the practice of building castells began to spread to the rest of Catalonia. Interest in castells began to grow in the 1960s and 1970s.
What are the most important Castellers Colles in Barcelona?
The most important castellers colles are the Castellers de Barcelona, and the Castellers de Sants but there are other colles around the city that you can also join, which are recognized worldwide, such as the Colla Jove and Colla Vella dels Xiquets Valls. Have you visited the human towers in Barcelona?
What are the three levels of the Castell in Spanish?
pom de dalt (“top group”): The top three levels of the castell: dosos, aixecador, and enxaneta. canalla (“children”): Those who make up the top levels of the castell. They are usually children but can also be women. dosos (“the twos”): A level consisting of two people, supporting and locked together by the aixecador and surmounted by the enxaneta.
