Barcelona/Priorat, Spain

We drove to El Catllar for the festival of Diada Castellera (Day of the castle governor). Three Casteller Clubs were putting on a demonstration.
Castellers are people who participate in the Catalan tradition of building human towers, called castells. Originating in the 18th century, this cultural practice involves teams (colles) working together to construct progressively taller and more complex towers, symbolizing unity, trust, and strength. The tradition is an integral part of Catalan culture and was recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
It’s such a deeply rooted tradition that there are competitions between teams of Castellers to see who builds the most difficult and amazing towers. The largest one ever made had 10 levels.

Typically, castellers wear white trousers, a black sash (faixa), and a shirt in their colla's color, with the team's emblem. The sash (faixa) is the most important part of their outfit, representing the tradition as a whole. The sash is also believed to support the lower back, and it is used by other castellers in the team as a foothold or handhold when climbing up the tower. This tasselled piece of cloth varies in length and width and depends on the casteller's position inside the tower and also on choice. The length of the sash ranges from 5 to 36 ft and usually is shorter for those higher up in the castell. Performing castellers always go barefoot when climbing, so as to avoid injuries, for greater sensitivity when balancing, and for better feel and grip.

Castellers de Vilafranca goes first