In 1998, about 800 people set a record when building Els Castells tower up to 10 floors.
Els Castells or towers who show solidarity and teamwork of the people of Catalonia. Just like when building a building, the human tower needs a solid foundation. This first step is called pinya or pine cones. Hundreds of people, mostly healthy men, will create a pinya to support the next floor.
The bigger the pinya ring, the stronger and more secure the foot of the tower.
When pinya is ready, a band will play the traditional Toc de Castells. Silent air enveloped the crowd, the pieces of the next floor needed to be built as quickly as possible, avoiding putting great gravity on the people below. The next ones will grab the front’s tied-up scarves, striving to climb onto each other’s shoulders to build higher floors. Although trembling, the members always try to hold each other’s shoulders, focusing extremely high to hold the tower most firmly.
Once the tower reaches a certain height, four people will climb to complete the top three peaks, named pom de dalt. The third highest floor from the top is dosos , consisting of two people locked tightly together, so that a child forms the second floor of aixecador in a crouched position. Finally , enxaneta , a light weight baby, forms the highest floor. The tower is only recognized when the enxaneta stands at the top, holding up four fingers to symbolize the flag of Catalonia and each one drops in the correct order that no one falls.
To build a successful tower, each person must make great efforts and face countless risks. In 2006, a 12-year-old girl died after falling from a tower. There have been 3 fatal accidents recorded in Els Castells history. So today, children who climb to the top of the tower will wear a rubber-padded helmet and wear dental protection to ensure safety.
The “dismantling” part is the most dangerous moment because it is easy to cause the collapse of the tower.
Starting from a cultural activity during the festivals, Els Castells has become a competitive sport. Since 1952, the discipline has been held every 2 years in October in the Tarraco arena, Tarragona.
This is the occasion for tens of thousands of people gathered to watch and cheer on the teams. In each competition, the higher the tower building, the more challenging it is the more points the team will score. Today, the tower can be up to 13 m high, including 9 to 10 floors. At the same time they also have different types of architecture, depending on the number of people standing on each floor. Since the 1980s, women have been allowed to compete, to reduce the weight of floors and help the team easily set new records.
The human tower can reach a height of 15 m, 3 floors across the house.
Traditionally, each team will wear white pants and a single-color shirt. The most important part of the outfit is the belt around the waist, from 1.5 m to 12 m long. They work to support the lower back and become a belt for the next members to cling to when climbing. Participants in building towers always walk barefoot to keep their balance.
The people of Catalonia began building the tower in the early 18th century, inspired by the Valencian dance. In the middle of the 19th century, this tradition gradually became popular throughout Catalonia with a record of 9 floors building the tower. In 2010, UNESCO recognized Catalonia’s human tower as a World Cultural Heritage.
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