One of the most emblematic traditions of Catalan folklore is to create a human tower(castell) in which people from the same team (or colla castellera) are part of the base, the intermediate levels and the top of the structure.
This unique custom, whose origin dates back to the 18th century, was rarely celebrated outside Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. Until now, it seems to be gradually integrated in Madrid: yes, the capital celebrates a sixth edition of its own castellera diada for the Feast of the Almudena. It will do so on Saturday, November 9 at 17:00 hours in an ideal historical enclave: between the Prado Museum and the Botanical Garden.
The first colla madrileña was founded in 2017 as a section of the Cercle Català, which aims to disseminate the cultural heritage of Catalonia and function as a meeting point for Catalans in the city. After seven years of rehearsals, the Colla Castellera de Madrid has participants from different corners of Spain and performs in popular celebrations such as the Fiestas del Carmen or Sant Jordi. The team’s headquarters are in Portazgo (Teniente Muñoz Díaz street), which is why they call their castellers ‘Gatos de Vallecas’ .
Sensibility, balance, courage and strength
Under the slogan “Força, Equilibri, Valor i Seny” (strength, balance, courage and wisdom ), the castells have become a symbol of unity and resistance. Each member of the colla has a fundamental role in the construction of the tower: from the strongest, located at the base, to the most agile, capable of climbing to the top floor.