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Photos: Human-Tower Season

The Atlantic
October 5, 2026 at 5:33 PM
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Photos: Human-Tower Season

As autumn approaches in Spain, teams at festivals and competitions can be found forming spectacular human towers (castells) up to nine levels tall. The Catalan tradition is believed to have originated among local dance groups at the end of the 18th century.

Spectators in an arena look on as teams wearing different colors gather on the floor, with one team working to create a human tower about eight people tall.
David Ramos / Getty
Members of Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls build a human tower during the 30th Concours de Castells competition in Tarragona, Spain, on October 4, 2026.
An overhead view of a large crowd of people wearing blue-green shirts, gathered in roughly concentric circles, smashing together, preparing to build a human tower
Albert Gea / Reuters
Castellers de Vilafranca start to form a tower in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
Children at the top of a human tower wear safety helmets and goggles.
Josep Lago / AFP / Getty
A child that will attempt to climb to the top of a human tower wears a helmet and safety glasses during the La Mercè festival on September 24, 2026, in Barcelona.
An overhead view of a large crowd of people wearing yellow, pusing inwards, arms linked over each other's shoulders, supporting a human tower in the center
Matthias Oesterle / ZUMA Press Wire / Reuters
Castellers build a human tower on October 3, 2026, the second day of the Tarragona human-tower competition.
A close view of part of a larger group of people leaning on each other, supporting an unseen human tower
David Ramos / Getty
Castellers lean and support one another in Tarragona on October 3, 2026.
An overhead view of a group of people wearing purple shirts, preparing to build a human tower. One person at center looks straight up toward the camera.
David Ramos / Getty
Members of the Xics de Granollers prepare to build their tower in Tarragona on October 3, 2026.
At least four different teams of people build human towers in a plaza, watched by hundreds standing nearby.
Matthias Oesterle / ZUMA Press Wire / Reuters
Members of local collas build their human towers during the La Mercè festival in Barcelona on September 24, 2026.
A zoomed-in view of several people climbing to the top of a human tower, with a large crowd of other teams visible in the background
Albert Gea / Reuters
Castellers de Vilafranca form their human tower in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
A partially-formed human tower collapses, with people falling toward their gathered team below.
David Ramos / Getty
Members of Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls fall while attempting to build their tower on October 4, 2026, in Tarragona.
An overhead view of a team of people wearing purple and white uniforms, piled on top of each other after a fall while they were attempting to build a human tower
David Ramos / Getty
Members of the colla Moixiganguers d'Igualada recover after falling while building their human tower in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
An overhead view of competing teams watching as one team forms a human tower in an arena
David Ramos / Getty
Members of Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls work on their human tower on October 4, 2026, in Tarragona.
Young and old teammates cheer for their team members.
Emilio Morenatti / AP
Members of Castellers de Vilafranca react as their teammates complete their human tower in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
An overhead view of a large crowd forming a human tower. Many people lined up, pointing toward the center of the group, with arms linked over each other's shoulders.
Emilio Morenatti / AP
Members of the Colla Vella form a human tower in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
People watch as a human tower is formed, about six people tall.
Cheng Min / Xinhua / Getty
People build a human tower during the La Mercè festival in Barcelona on September 24, 2026.
People forming a human tower fall as their tower collapses.
Emilio Morenatti / AP
Members of Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls fall during an attempt at the Human Tower Competition in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
People fall after trying to form a human tower.
Emilio Morenatti / AP
Members of Xiquets de Tarragona fall in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
A crowd in an arena watches as a team forms a human tower, surrounded by other teams.
Laia Solanellas / Europa Press / Getty
A tower is formed on the final day of the 30th castells competition in Tarragona.
An overhead view of a team that just built a human tower, then collapsed on top of each other in a pile, smiling and struggling
Josep Lago / AFP / Getty
Members of the Colla Vella team celebrate after forming their human tower in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
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Original source:

https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/10/photos-human-tower-season/688885/?utm_source=feed