Hundreds build human towers in Spain for Tarragona Castells Competition

Hundreds build human towers in Spain for Tarragona Castells Competition

 

THOUSANDS of spectators packed into an old bull ring in Spain to watch as teams of hundreds of people built incredible human towers for the 24th Tarragona Castells Competition. The Catalan tradition of creating these towers is believed to date back to the 18th century and is performed by dance groups using precise techniques. The tower builders are called Castellers from the Catalan word for castle and each individual dance team is known as a Colla.
The annual competition saw about 30 groups of Castellers construct elaborate human towers formed by up to 400 individuals, though most stand at the base to support the higher up human tiers.
Barefoot young adults or children - many wearing safety helmets - carefully climb their way past the human tiers to form the top of the towers.

Around 7,000 locals and tourists watched the incredible two-day spectacle which was held at the Tarraco Arena Plaza, an old bull ring in Tarragona, southwest of Barcelona.

Held in the first weekend in October, the popular event attracts thousands of tourists and in 2010 it joined the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.