Creating human towers in Spain

The tradition of building human towers, or castells, dates back to the 18th century and takes place during festivals in Catalonia. Teams compete to build the tallest and most complicated castells. A castell is considered successful when it is loaded and unloaded without falling apart. The highest castell in history was a 10-floor structure with three people in each floor.

Members of Vella de Xiquets de Valls try to complete their human tower during the Human Tower Competition in Tarragona, Spain.

Members of the Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls team form a castell or human tower during the competition, which has been held for more than two dozen years.

The tower of the Xics de Granollers team tumbles.

The Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls team holds together, arms over shoulders, to build its tower base.

Members of the Castellers de Vilafranca team form a castell.

The Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls team pushes higher.

Members of the Colla Xiquets del Serrallo form the base of their tower.

Members of the Castellers de Villafranca react after completing their human tower at the event in Tarragona.

Members of Vella de Xiquets de Valls work from the base up to form a tower.

A young casteller scrambles over shoulders.