HISTORY

Towers are an evolution of the Ball dels Valencians, a folkloric dance which ended with the lifting of a human figure. When this dance, which originated in the region of Valencia, was introduced into Catalonia in the eighteenth century, it took strong root in the area of Camp de Tarragona, el Penedès and el Garraf. The raised figure highlighted at the end of the dance gradually took on a very important role and the challenge was to raise it higher, or make the structure more complex, not only in order to excel but also to defeat other Valencian dance groups. In the city of Valls, this competitive spirit eventually gave rise to the figure gaining its own autonomy and being converted into what are now known as human towers.

VALUES

At first glance, these towers may simply look like human towers up to ten storeys high, halfway between acrobatics and folklore. However, this impression hides many other qualities which make them one of the most singular cultural expressions in Europe.

Each tower is the result of universal values such as teamwork, generosity, self-betterment, a feeling of belonging or the participation of people from different origins, races and social conditions.

A genuinely Catalan tradition which was included by the Unesco in its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010.