First torre de nou amb folre carregada in history, Castellers de Vilafranca
First tres de deu amb folre i manilles carregat in history, Castellers de Vilafranca
First quatre de nou sense folre by Castellers de Vilafranca
First pilar de vuit amb folre i manilles carregat in the 20th century, Castellers de Vilafranca

The Castellers de Vilafranca (Catalan pronunciation: [kəstəˈʎez ðə βiləˈfɾaŋkə]) is a cultural and sporting association whose main objective is to build castells (human towers). It has the status of a public-interest association. The group was founded in 1948[1] in response to the increased interest in human tower building in Vilafranca del Penedès, a Catalan tradition that has evolved since the 18th century Ball de Valencians, a dance from Valencia.[2][3]

In 2010, the Castellers de Vilafranca had about 400 active human tower building members.[4]

History

Quatre de nou amb folre i l'agulla, Castellers de Vilafranca
First torre de nou amb folre i manilles descarregada of Castellers de Vilafranca

The Castellers de Vilafranca cultural association was founded in September 1948 by Oriol Rossell, who became the first cap de colla (Leader/Technical Manager of the group). The group started with seven-level towers, and forged close relationships with casteller groups in other towns. The first caps de colla were Oriol Rossell (1948–1952) and Ramon Sala (1953–1955). The group originally wore rose-coloured shirts, and later red ones.

In 1956, the group became almost inactive due to internal disagreements and disputes. In 1957, it reorganized and elected to wear green shirts, which is still used by the group today. From 1957 to 1968, seven-level towers were the norm, and the cinc de set was the highest tower achieved. From 1969 to 1974, the group built the first towers in the eight-level category: the torre de set, quatre de vuit, tres de vuit, pilar de sis, and the torre de vuit amb folre. In 1972, the group won the Concurs de castells de Tarragona, the Human Towers Competition held biennially in Tarragona city in the south of Catalonia. During those years, the caps de colla were Josep Pedrol (1957–1959), Carles Domènech (1960–1961), Joan Bolet (1962–1963), Gabi Martínez (1964–1969), Lluís Giménez (1970–1973) and Gabi Martínez, again (1974).

In 1975, the group went through internal restructuring, shifting from the very personal and almost-exclusive leadership of the cap de colla to management of the technical side of tower-building by a consensual team. In 1981, it was decided that team members would no longer be individually paid. This provoked a division in the group.

From 1975 to 1982, eight-level towers were performed frequently but with difficulties. In 1983 and 1984, the group regained its strength in this category and, in 1985, it built the first cinc de vuit. In 1987, they built the first tres and quatre de nou amb folre (carregat), and in 1989 the first completely successful tres de nou amb folre (descarregat) was achieved. In 1990, the first quatre de nou amb folre (descarregat) was built. The cap de colla between 1975 and 1994 was Carles Domènech.

Between 1995 and 2004, the highest towers were achieved: descarregats (completely and successfully dismantled), the torre de nou amb folre i manilles, pilar de set amb folre, pilar de vuit amb folre i manilles, quatre de vuit amb l’agulla, quatre de nou amb folre i l’agulla (the first one in human tower history), cinc de nou amb folre, and tres and quatre de nou amb folre built simultaneously (the first and only time in human tower history). The towers that were carregats (reached the top but collapsed afterwards) were the torre de vuit, quatre de nou, and the tres de deu amb folre i manilles (the first one in human towers history).

The group won the Tarragona Human Towers Competition in 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004,[5] 2006,[6] 2008,[7] 2010,[8][9] and 2012. In 2005, Castellers de Vilafranca achieved the torre de nou amb folre, which is considered the most difficult tower ever done by any group to date.

Francesc Moreno "Melilla" was the cap de colla between 1995 and 2003, and Lluís Esclassans from 2004 to 2007. David Miret was elected the new cap de colla in December 2007.

Castells achieved

Castellers de Vilafranca have achieved in their history most of the constructions that have been seen in any performance. You will find below the detailed list of human constructions and the date in which they were topped or dismantled for the first time :

CASTELL Descarregat
(successfully dismantled)		 Carregat
(collapsed in dismantling)
Tres de nou amb folre i agulla31 Aug 2009
Torre de nou amb folre30 Aug 2005
Tres de deu amb folre i manilles15 Nov 1998
Quatre de nou amb folre i tres de nou amb folre simultanis31 Aug 2001
Torre de vuit neta1 Nov 2010[10]1 Nov 1999
Quatre de nou1 Nov 2002
Quatre de nou amb folre i agulla1 Nov 19961 Nov 1995
Cinc de nou amb folre1 Nov 199730 Aug 1997
Pilar de vuit amb folre i manilles28 Sep 199731 Aug 1995
Torre de nou amb folre i manilles30 Aug 1995
Tres de nou amb folre30 Aug 198931 Aug 1987
Quatre de nou amb folre1 Nov 19901 Nov 1987
Quatre de vuit amb l'agulla8 Oct 1995
Cinc de vuit30 Aug 1985
Torre de vuit amb folre i pilar de set amb folre simultanis31 Aug 2006
Pilar de set amb folre1 Oct 199514 May 1995
Tres de vuit amb agulla29 Aug 1996
Dos pilars de sis simultanis (un de carregat)31 Aug 2001
Torre de vuit amb folre17 Nov 197412 Oct 1973
Tres de vuit30 Aug 19741 Oct 1972
Pilar de sis30 Aug 197219 Dec 1971
Quatre de vuit30 Aug 197112 Oct 1969
Nou de set11 Dec 1988
Torre de set24 Aug 1969
Tres de set aixecat per sota25 Nov 1973
Sis de set21 Jan 1997
Cinc de set amb agulla19 Apr 2008
Cinc de set26 Sep 196530 Aug 1965
Tres de set amb l'agulla10 Aug 1996
Quatre de set amb l'agulla5 Aug 195431 Aug 1953
Tres de set31 Aug 1949
Quatre de set31 Aug 1949
Torre de sis16 Jun 1949
Pilar de cinc14 Sep 1948

Cal Figarot, the group's headquarters

Yard of Cal Figarot, Castellers de Vilafranca headquarters

Cal Figarot is the group's headquarters. The neogothic-style building, built by August Font de Carreres at the end of the 19th century, was acquired in 1983. An adjacent warehouse was bought in 1998, and both buildings were renovated. The warehouse has an interior open space of 600 square metres. Training sessions take place in the courtyard.

Castellers de Vilafranca in the world

Quatre de vuit in Santiago de Chile, Castellers de Vilafranca
Quatre de vuit in Vatican City, Castellers de Vilafranca

Countries where the Castellers de Vliafranca have performed include France, Italy, Lexembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Chile,[11] India,[12][13] and New York City.

In 1988, they performed in Italy during the celebration of the thousandth anniversary of Catalonia. They performed in the Universal Exposition Seville'92 (1992), during the Catalonia day and in Brussels, Belgium (2010) supporting the nomination of Castells to UNESCO Heritage.[4] The Castellers de Vilafranca also performed in the opening ceremony of the XXV Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992.

The Castellers de Vilafranca have toured extensively in the Països Catalans (territories in which the varieties of Catalan are traditionally spoken):

  • Performances in Northern Catalonia: six times in Perpignan (1970, 1977, 1982, 1989, 1997 and 1998), in Toluges (1970), in Collioure (1984), in Banyuls de la Marenda (1986), three times in Vilafranca de Conflent (1985, 1988, 1989), in the Saint Michel de Cuxa monastery (1985), Prada de Conflent (1988) and in Baó, in the framework of the First meeting of the catalanitat in North Catalonia (2002).
  • Four times in Andorra: in Encamp (1971), Andorra la Vella and Sant Julià de Lòria (1976), in Escaldes and again in Andorra la Vella (1983) and Escaldes (1985).
  • Two tours in the Valencia Region: the first one was in Ribera del Xúquer (1979), and in the second one (1981) the group performed in Alcoi, Benidorm and Alicante. Subsequently, they performed in Carcaixent (1985), Algemesí (1993, 2000), Castellón (2000).
  • One tour in Palma, Majorca (1980) and Manacor, Menorca (2001).
  • One tour, already mentioned, in Alghero (1978).

References

  1. ↑ "Història dels Castellers de Vilafranca" (in Catalan).
  2. ↑ "Photography exhibition on Catalan human towers commemorates their first anniversary as part of World Cultural Heritage". Catalan News Agency. 17 November 2011. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "Close-Up: Catalonia's human towers". BBC. 14 November 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Un grupo de castellers viste con su atuendo al Manneken Pis de Bruselas" (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 9 October 2010.
  5. ↑ "Els Castellers de Vilafranca revaliden el títol de campions del concurs de Tarragona" (in Catalan). Vilaweb. 4 October 2004.
  6. ↑ "Els Castellers de Vilafranca s'imposen per tercer cop consecutiu en el concurs de castells de Tarragona" (in Catalan). Catalan Television. 2 October 2006.
  7. ↑ "Els Castellers de Vilafranca revaliden el títol del concurs de Tarragona amb una actuació històrica" (in Catalan). Catalan Television. 5 October 2008.
  8. ↑ "Els Castellers de Vilafranca tornen a fer història" (in Catalan). Vilaweb. 3 October 2010.
  9. ↑ "Els Castellers de Vilafranca guanyen el Concurs de Castells de Tarragona després de fer tres castells de gamma extra" (in Catalan). Catalan Television. 4 October 2010.
  10. ↑ "Els Castellers de Vilafranca descarreguen la 'bèstia indomable'" (in Catalan). Vilaweb. 1 November 2010.
  11. ↑ "Els Castellers de Vilafranca viatjaran a Xile per participar al Fòrum Universal de Cultures de Valparaíso" (in Catalan). 324.cat. 16 November 2010.
  12. ↑ "Catalan human towers embark on an educational trip to India". Catalan News Agency. 17 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  13. ↑ "Los Castellers de Vilafranca, impactantes torres humanas, se presentarán este lunes en La Serena" (in Spanish). La Voz del Norte. 5 December 2010.
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