Catalans compete to build the biggest human towers
STORY: Location: Tarragona, Spain
Catalans compete to build the tallest human pyramid
This nail-biting competition takes place every two years
The team from Vilafranca beat 40 other groups to take the top spot and win $15,679
Their tower reached 10 tiers high, around 43 feet
and relied on young, nimble team members scrambling to the top
Organizers said 71 people received medical attention after some of the towers crumbled
[Anna Jordand, Head of the children's squad, 'Ceballuts' team]
“Without kids, there would be no human towers. They are the boys and girls who have to go up to the top, they have to coordinate the castles, and this is an essential part. Just like in football you can't play without a goalkeeper because of the regulation, we can’t make the human towers without two children.”
The tradition dates back to the 18th century
when people first started building human towers in the Catalan town of Valls
In 2010, human towers, or 'castells' were added to
UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity