Castells, the Human Towers Festival of Strength and Unity

Castells are a captivating and centuries-old Catalan festival with extraordinary human towers, are a cultural treasure in Catalonia, Spain. The word “castell” in Catalan means a castle, but in English, it signifies a human tower.

The festival traces its origins back to the 18th century in the Valencian region and has since evolved and thrived in Catalonia, becoming a symbol of cultural pride and community cohesion.

Castells exemplify Catalonia’s enduring spirit and cultural heritage, uniting individuals to achieve remarkable feats.

Contents

1 The Base Levels of Building a Castells
2 The Process of Creating a Human Tower
3 The Symbolism and Significance

The Base Levels of Building a Castells

The Castellers construct intricate towers of remarkable heights, ranging from 1.5 to 12 meters, with distinct roles.

Approximately 100 to 200 participants build a basic castell, while more complex and taller castells involve a hundred or even over a thousand castellers.

The form of the Castell is meticulously constructed through precise teamwork, trust, and communication. It embodies the essence of collaboration and unity, consisting of three fundamental levels.

At the ground-level base, a large group comes together to form the Pinya, creating a stable foundation upon which the tower will rise.

Above the Pinya, the Folre emerges as the vertical central column, with participants interlocking their arms to reinforce the structure’s core strength.

Finally, the Manilles comprise the top three levels of the tower, serving as the ascent route. Here, Castellers climb upwards, culminating in the enxaneta, typically a young child, reaching the pinnacle and raising their hand. This action symbolizes the completion of the Castell.

The Process of Creating a Human Tower

“Força, equilibri, valor i seny” means strength, balance, courage, and common sense, forming the core of Castells.

To build a successful castell, castellers seamlessly assemble and disassemble it, with the assembly concluding once all reach their designated positions.

Meanwhile, the enxaneta, positioned at the top, raises an open hand.

Afterward, the enxaneta descends on one side, followed by the remaining castellers descending from the highest to the lowest levels for everyone’s safety.

As subsequent base levels are completed, the pinya assesses whether their base is stable enough for construction to continue.

In comparison, additional individuals are needed to create a supportive base for the tower. Upper layers are built quickly to reduce strain on lower castellers, who bear most of the castell’s weight.

Pinya members, usually men, serve as a safety net, cushioning potential falls from the tower’s upper levels.

Once the signal to proceed is given, bands play the traditional Toc de Castells music, and spectators fall into a hushed silence.

The disassembly of the castell, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd, represents the most precarious stage of the event.