The monument to the castellers

Els castells is a typically Catalan tradition which, as you probably know, involves building human towers. Its origins go back to the 17th century, and it seems to have come from a Valencian dance. But the first recorded castell dates from 1770, in the town of L’Arboç. From then on, castells, built by castellers, kept evolving into what we know today.

In Plaça Sant Miquel, right next to Plaça Sant Jaume, there’s a monument dedicated to the castellers, the work of Antoni Llena i Font. Made of stainless steel, it rises in a pyramid shape, like a castell trying to touch the sky. This monument, which stands around thirty metres tall, sparked protests in the neighbourhood when it was unveiled in February 2012.

Today the Homenatge als castellers (Tribute to the Castellers) looks modern, and it leaves no passer-by indifferent.