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Creating human towers in Spain

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The tradition of building human towers, or castells, dates back to the 18th century and takes place during festivals in Catalonia. Teams compete to build the tallest and most complicated castells. A castell is considered successful when it is loaded and unloaded without falling apart. The highest castell in history was a 10-floor structure with three people in each floor.

(Emilio Morenatti / Associated Press)

Members of Vella de Xiquets de Valls try to complete their human tower during the Human Tower Competition in Tarragona, Spain.

(Lluis Gene / AFP/Getty Images)

Members of the Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls team form a castell or human tower during the competition, which has been held for more than two dozen years.

(Lluis Gene / AFP/Getty Images)

The tower of the Xics de Granollers team tumbles.

(Lluis Gene / AFP/Getty Images)

The Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls team holds together, arms over shoulders, to build its tower base.

(Lluis Gene / AFP/Getty Images)

Members of the Castellers de Vilafranca team form a castell.

(Lluis Gene / AFP/Getty Images)

The Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls team pushes higher.

(Lluis Gene / AFP/Getty Images)

Members of the Colla Xiquets del Serrallo form the base of their tower.

(Emilio Morenatti / Associated Press)

Members of the Castellers de Villafranca react after completing their human tower at the event in Tarragona.

(Emilio Morenatti / Associated Press)

Members of Vella de Xiquets de Valls work from the base up to form a tower.

(JAUME SELLART / EPA)

A young casteller scrambles over shoulders.

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