Concur de Castells

The Concur de Castells took place in Tarragona last weekend.  It was breathtaking and inspiring.  Photos below:

Concurs de Castells, Tarragona Arena.  The Concurs de Castells competition takes place every October in Tarragona, Spain, in the arena formerly used for bullfighting.  The tradition of building castells, or human towers, started in Catalonia in the 18th century.

Organizing the Team.  During the competition, teams of castellers from different regions of Catalonia compete to successfully build human towers of up to nine levels.  Each team wears its own colors.

Building the Pinya.  The base of the tower, or pinya, is built first by team members standing closely together and locking hands.

Climbing the Tower.  The top level of the tower is formed by the enxaneta, a young child who climbs over the other levels to reach the top.

The Completed Castell.  The castell is complete when all of the levels are in place and the enxaneta reaches the top of the tower. Members of competing teams sometimes help hold the pinya in place.

Celebration.   Team members celebrate when all members of the castell safely reach the ground.