All for One, One for All: Catalonia's Incredible Gravity-Defying 'Human Towers'

The Catalan tradition of building human towers, or castells, dates back to the 18th century. Throughout the decades, it has become a true symbol of Catalonia, and now “castellers” assemble their living constructions during different festivals. Take a look at the tremendous castells formed during recent celebrations across the region.

First documented in 1712, the tradition of building castells originated in the southern Catalan town of Valls. Groups of locals constructing human towers started to compete with each other, the beginning of a whole new kind of sporting event.

A castell consists of adding layers from the bottom, step by step, and takes a great deal of practice, skill and strength. Until the 1980s, it was known as a male-only discipline; the inclusion of women allowed for the building of lighter and stronger constructions. In 2010, UNESCO recognized Catalonia's human towers as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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© REUTERS / Juan Medina

The group Colla els Castellers de Vilafranca forms a castell in Vilafranca del Penedes, a town in Catalonia, during All Saints Day on November 1, 2017.

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© REUTERS / Rafael Marchante

The Marrecs Casteller group assembles a traditional tower in Felieu Square in Girona, the day after the Catalan regional parliament declared independence from Spain on October 28, 2017.

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© REUTERS / Juan Medina

Members of Colla els Castellers de Vilafranca gather to create the pinya ("bulk"), or bottom base of the castell, to sustain its weight, in Vilafranca del Penedes during All Saints Day on November 1, 2017. The pinya also acts as a “safety net” if the tower structure collapses, cushioning falls.

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© REUTERS / Juan Medina

The groups Colla els Xiquets de Tarragona, Colla Castellers de Sants, Colla els Castellers de Vilafranca and Colla els Capgrossos de Mataro form a joint castell in Vilafranca del Penedes on November 1, 2017.

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© REUTERS / Juan Medina

Members of the group Colla els Castellers de Vilafranca react after they successfully complete a human tower in Vilafranca del Penedes on November 1, 2017.

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© REUTERS / Juan Medina

The group Colla els Capgrossos de Mataro forms a castell in Vilafranca del Penedes during All Saints Day on November 1, 2017. The banner reads: "Freedom," in reference to the jailed leaders of Catalan pro-independence movements ANC (Catalan National Assembly), Omnium Cutural, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart.

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© REUTERS / Juan Medina

The group Colla els Capgrossos de Mataro creates a human tower in Vilafranca del Penedes on November 1, 2017.

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© REUTERS / Juan Medina

The group Colla els Capgrossos de Mataro forms a castell in Vilafranca del Penedes during All Saints Day on November 1, 2017.