There's a tradition I’ve learned so much about -- but haven’t yet seen in person. It’s something deeply cherished by the people of Barcelona and the wider region of Catalonia: Castells (pronounced kahs-TAYLS), the breathtaking human towers that rise high above cheering crowds.
A castell is exactly what it sounds like -- a “castle” made of people standing on each other’s shoulders, sometimes reaching astonishing heights. I’ve only seen photos so far, but even those are enough to make your jaw drop.
These towers are built by teams called colles (pronounced KOH-yuhs). Each colla is made up of hundreds of people -- men, women and children -- working together toward a single goal: to build the tallest and strongest tower possible. At the very top, climbs the bravest member of all, a small child known as the enxaneta (pronounced uhn-shuh-NEH-tuh). Once they reach the peak, they raise one hand in triumph before carefully climbing back down.
