Catalonia - Art and Culture 2018

POPULAR CULTURE Of eagles and dragons The most fabulous beasts rapidly appear every time the Catalans have something to celebrate. We’ll introduce them to you.

A tower of people? With more than two centuries of history, Touch the sky with your hand

the castellers are one of the best-known Catalan traditions in the world.

© lluís carro

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t the top of the stairs of Tarragona Cathedral, an enormous golden eagle appears with its wings ex- tended. It will soar down, dancing

ments of the festival of Santa Tecla, the patron saint of Tarragona. This is the so- called Baixada de l’Àliga (Descent of the Eagle) . In Barcelona, an eagle dances during the Mercè festival. It comes into the square with its wings open, a royal crown on its head, three metres high with a majestic profile. The square is full, but silence falls as the solemn dance takes place. Celebrating fire Dangerous basilisks, fierce bulls, horses, and a group of fire breathing dragons. Vil- lages and cities around Catalonia have these and other figures which allude to mediaeval mythology, tied to the religious symbolism or portraying evil incarnate which, represented by fire, takes the form of popular devils, torch bearers, and gun- powder which are inseparable from the concept of a Mediterranean festival. You have to experience it to understand the authentic nature of Catalan culture.

In the image above, we are at the diada cas- tellera , and what we see is the pinya or the base that has to support the castle that will be raised. The tower will only be successful if everyone works together. Many life lessons can be drawn from this tradition born in the 18th century in Valls (Costa Daurada), which is particularly deep-rooted today in towns of castle-building tradition such as Terrassa, Vilafranca del Penedès and Tarragona, and which in 2010 was

declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural World Heritage. It has its own vocabulary that all cas- tellers know. Even the youngest: the boy or girl, the enxaneta , who has to climb to the top of the tower. Rising above the acotxador , they will raise their hand as a sign that the castle is built. Now the tower has to be deconstructed. Sometimes, strength fails and there is an accident which causes it to collapse. Let there be no doubt: they will try again and again. www.catalunya.com/que-fer/agenda

Castle builders before

tarragona cathedral.

the entire time. It is nighttime and it is sur- rounded by thousands of people cheering at each of its movements. It will follow a route around the highest parts of the city, accompanied by beasts and giants, as well as a mass of people celebrating one of the most popular mo-

16.000 castles are raised every year in Catalonia

a fire beast in the form of a dragon.

minyons experience It is possible to experience a colla castellera from the inside and to have the chance to discover how a real rehearsal works, and whoever wishes, can dress in the sash and fer pinya, in other words, help to build the base without which it is impossible to raise a tower. The experience takes place at Casa Jacint Bosch in Terrassa, built in 1912, and is completed with a guided tour of the modernist building. The activity takes place on rehearsal days from April to November, and must be booked in advance. It is particularly designed for adults and is conducted in Catalan, Spanish, French, and English.

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For more information www.minyons.cat

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