Where and when can you see castells in Catalonia?

Where, when and why

Castells belong to Catalonia. They are raised as part of annual town festivals, traditionally in the square in front of the town hall balcony, by amateur groups — colles — whose members practise together all year. Castell is Catalan for castle (Spanish castillo), and the vocabulary of the towers is Catalan: pinya for the base, tronc for the trunk, enxaneta for the child on top.

The skill is passed down inside the colles and can only be learned by doing. UNESCO inscribed the human towers on its Representative List of intangible cultural heritage in 2010.

• Castells are usually performed as part of annual festivities in Catalan towns and cities; the traditional setting is the square in front of the town hall balcony.
• They are built by members of amateur groups; the knowledge is passed down within the groups and can only be learned by practice.
• Castells have been on UNESCO's intangible heritage list since 2010.
• Castell is Catalan for castle; Catalan is spoken in Catalonia alongside Spanish.

En Cataluña hay una tradición muy especial: los castells.

In Catalonia there is a very special tradition: the castells.

Desde 2010, los castells son Patrimonio de la Humanidad.

Since 2010, castells have been part of the Heritage of Humanity.