Every two years, on the first weekend of October, Tarragona’s Concurs de Castells (Human Tower Competition) transforms the city into the global capital of human towers.
Held at the Tarraco Arena Plaça (TAP), this extraordinary event is not only the most spectacular display of human towers, castells, in the world but also the only one with a competitive format.
Unlike the many other casteller gatherings across Catalonia, the Tarragona contest is governed by strict rules, a scoring system, and a jury. Teams, known as colles, have five rounds to attempt up to six different towers. The difficulty and success of their performances determine their final score and position in the rankings.
The scale of participation is also unmatched. Over the two main days at the TAP, 30 groups perform: 18 on Saturday afternoon and 12 on Sunday morning. Add to that the 12 more colles competing in Torredembarra the day before, and the total rises to 42 groups. Invitations are based on the Estrella Ranking, which evaluates teams according to their recent achievements.
Unsurprisingly, demand to witness the contest is sky-high, tickets sell out almost instantly. Media coverage is also extensive, with both national and international outlets drawn to the event.
The human tower competition: A tradition with deep roots
Although human towers date back centuries, Tarragona’s contest was first held in 1932. This is thanks in part to the influence of the world-renowned musician Pau Casals, who believed in the cultural and social value of castells. Casals himself presided over the first two competitions (1932 and 1933) at Tarragona’s bullring, the very site that would later become the TAP.
After the Spanish Civil War, casteller competitions appeared regularly across Catalonia, though Tarragona’s own contest only took place occasionally until 1970. That year proved decisive: the newly formed Municipal Board of Castells revived the contest. It brought in the era’s top teams and drew a huge crowd. The event was such a success that it became known as “the contest of the century.”
From local contest to international icon
Since 1970, the Tarragona Contest has been held bi-annually, though between 1974 and 1978, it briefly dropped the competitive element in favour of exhibitions. When the scoring format returned in 1980, Tarragona once again stood out as the premier stage for human towers.
The decades that followed saw milestone after milestone:
- 1982: the first nine-level castle.
- 1990: the contest’s first live TV broadcast on Televisió de Catalunya.
- 1996: the first “extra range” constructions, towers of maximum difficulty.
- 2000: the debut of the two-tiered dos de deu.
The famous dos de deu
The “dos de deu” (2d10) is one of the most impressive and difficult human towers (castells) built by the colles castelleres in Catalonia.
- Dos (2) → means the tower has two people per level.
- Deu (10) → means the tower is ten levels high.
So a dos de deu is a 10‑storey human tower with two people on each level, usually requiring an extra folre (a second supporting base) and manilles (third-level supports) because of its complexity.
Growing contest
As the movement grew, so did the contest. By the 2000s, the TAP was renovated into a modern multipurpose arena with a dome, while still retaining its historic charm. In 2012, the event expanded to two full days, and two years later, a third day was added in Torredembarra, ensuring that as many colles as possible could take part.
The human tower competition: More than a contest
Today, the Concurs de Castells is recognised as the largest casteller event in the world. Beyond the fantastic towers, the contest serves as a living showcase for a tradition. UNESCO has inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Human towers are just one fascinating expression of Spain’s rich traditions, what other aspects of Spanish culture, from flamenco to regional festivals, would you like to discover next?
