After a pause during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the biannual human-tower competition held in Tarragona, Spain, was back in full swing over the weekend. “Castellers” work together to build human towers (“castells”) in groups, competing to form the highest and most complex towers they can. The Catalan tradition is believed to have originated among local dance groups at the end of the 18th century. The winning team this year formed a tower 10 tiers high above the surrounding crowd.
Competing to Build the Tallest Human Towers in Spain
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![A view from above of dozens of people standing in concentric circles, pressed tightly together.]()
Read moreMembers of the Jove de Tarragona team work together to form the base of a "castell" (human tower) during the 28th castells competition at Tarraco arena in Tarragona, Spain, on October 2, 2022. #
Josep Lago / AFP / Getty -
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![Dozens of people stand close together, supporting one another, as several others in the middle of the group climb up on one another, forming a tower.]()
Read moreCastellers de Vilafranca form a human tower in Tarragona on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters -
![A person walks on the shoulders of a crowd of people, all of them with arms outstretched to support those in front of them.]()
Read moreMembers of the Colla Vella Xiquets de Valls build a human tower on October 2, 2022, in Tarragona. #
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![Two younger people climb up a human tower with a large crowd watching below.]()
Read moreTeams takes part during the 28th castells competition at Tarraco arena on October 2, 2022. #
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![A person waves at the top of a tower made of at least five groups of people standing on one another's shoulders.]()
Read moreMembers of Joves de Valls complete a human tower on October 2, 2022, in Tarragona. #
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![People fall toward a crowd below as their human tower falls apart.]()
Read moreMembers of Castellers de Vilafranca fall after completing their human tower on October 2, 2022. #
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![A view from above of a large and chaotic pile of people lying on top of a standing crowd below them.]()
Read moreMembers of Castellers de Vilafranca land in a pile after their human tower fell on October 2, 2022, in Tarragona. #
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![An aerial view of a stadium floor filled with hundreds of people in about 10 different teams, each wearing different colors.]()
Read moreMembers of Castellers de Vilafranca start to form their castell on October 2, 2022. #
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![A view from above of a tightly packed crowd, organized into lines leading to the center, supporting one another with arms and bodies.]()
Read moreMembers of the Joves de Valls come together to start their human tower on October 2, 2022. #
David Ramos / Getty -
![A view from above of a tall human tower, at least six levels high.]()
Read moreColla Joves Xiquets de Valls forms a castell in Tarragona on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters -
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![Two young team members climb down from a human tower, grasping the waists and legs of people.]()
Read moreColla Joves Xiquets de Valls members climb down after forming their castell on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters -
![A large crowd of competitors and onlookers watches as a team forms a human tower at least eight levels high.]()
Read moreMembers of Castellers de Vilafranca form their human tower on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters -
![Two teams form human towers side by side.]()
Read moreTeams take part in the castells competition in Tarraco arena on October 2, 2022. #
Adria Puig / Anadolu Agency / Getty -
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![People lie in a pile on top of others after their human tower fell.]()
Read moreMembers of the Colla Vella Xiquets de Valls fall down during the 28th Tarragona castells competition on October 2, 2022. #
David Ramos / Getty -
![A team forms a tight circle, building its base and first levels of a human tower.]()
Read moreMembers of Colla Vella Xiquets de Valls start to form their castell on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters -
![A person climbs over the heads and shoulders of team members.]()
Read moreA member of Jove de Tarragona climbs over others as they attempt to form a castell on October 2, 2022. #
Josep Lago / AFP / Getty -
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![An overhead view of a large team packing together to build a human tower.]()
Read moreColla Jove Xiquets de Tarragona starts to build a castell on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters -
![Hundreds of competitors and onlookers watch as a team builds a human tower.]()
Read moreMembers of Joves de Valls build a human tower on October 2, 2022. #
David Ramos / Getty -
![A view of an eight-tier human tower, surrounded by a large crowd in a stadium.]()
Read moreJoves Xiquets De Valls forms its castell on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters -
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![A crowd lifts two young team members over their heads in celebration.]()
Read moreMembers of Joves Xiquets de Valls celebrate after building their castell in Tarragona, Spain, on October 2, 2022. #
Albert Gea / Reuters
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