Catalans compete to build the biggest human towers in Spain

Spain's biggest human towers competition took place on Sunday, with some 11,000 spectators packing the bullring in the northeastern city of Tarragona to watch the daring Catalan tradition.

Human towers, or 'castells', were added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010 as an "integral part of (Catalan) cultural identity".

The tradition dates back to the 18th century when people first started building human towers in the Catalan town of Valls.

5 PHOTOS

1. Colla Jove Xiquets de Tarragona start to form a human tower called "castell" during a biannual human tower competition in Tarragona, Spain, October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Albert Gea

2. Colla Joves Xiquets De Valls start to form a human tower called "castell" during a biannual human tower competition in Tarragona, Spain, October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Albert Gea

3. Castellers de Vilafranca forms a human tower called "castell" during a biannual human tower competition in Tarragona, Spain, October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Albert Gea

4. Castellers De Vilafranca start to form a human tower called "castell" during a biannual human tower competition in Tarragona, Spain, October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Albert Gea

5. olla Joves Xiquets De Valls celebrates after forming a human tower called "castell" during a biannual human tower competition in Tarragona, Spain, October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Albert Gea