Castellers de Barcelona

The Castellers de Barcelona are one of the six colles in the city today. This group was set up in 1969 by people from the Penedès region and members of the forerunner to the current casteller groups, the Cos de Castellers de Ballets de Catalunya. Part of the membership came from Santa Coloma de Gramenet and in 1985 they went back to set up a colla in that city.

At the end of the 1970s and beginning of the 1980s, the Castellers de Barcelona began to build castells like the two of seven (seven storeys of two people), the four of eight and the dismantled pillar of six. In 1995 they built two big ones: the tower of eight with folre, a second-level base – the first time they had accomplished this feat – and the five of eight, dismantled twice, in Cornellà and Terrassa. In 1998 they built their first nine-storey tower: a four of nine with folre.

The Castellers de Barcelona have performed all over the country and travelled to many European cities. Their first trip abroad was to Berlin in 1978. And they are the hosts of the groups invited to take part in the diada de colles, which is held in Plaça de Sant Jaume on the Sunday closest to the La Mercè festival day.

They have received a number of awards including the Cross of St George - Sant Jordi - from the Catalan government, the Medal of Honour from Barcelona City Council and the Sant Martí Prize from the Sant Martí District Council.

Their centre is in the Clot neighbourhood, in a municipal centre belonging to the cases de la festa social centre network. They see themselves as a city colla but they are also very much involved in the cultural and association life of the neighbourhood. For example, they play an active role in organising its annual festival and in other events designed to liven up the neighbourhood, such as the Midsummer's Eve Sant Joan celebrations.