Castellers

The ‘castells’, human towers of up to 10 levels, are one of the most representative Catalan cultural practices and have been declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

Today roughly 15.000 ‘castellers’ in more than 100 ‘colles’ (groups) practice this tradition across Catalonia.

The 'Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls' gather to form the base of a human tower during day three of the 27th Tarragona Human Tower Competition in Tarragona. The competition takes place every other year and features the main 'Castellers' teams (colles) of Catalonia during a three day event organized by the Tarragona City Hall

June 8th, 2014. Barcelona, Spain: The castellers of the 'Sagrada Famila' gather to build a "human tower for democracy" in front of the 'Sagrada Familia'

Barcelona, Spain. 21 September, 2014: The 'Minyons de Terrassa' build a human tower during the city festival 'La Merce 2014' in front of the town hall of Barcelona. Thousands of spectators filled Barcelona's St Jaume place in front of the town hall to follow the first day of castellers (Human towers) from Vilafranca, Terrassa and Barcelona, as part of the traditional program of the city festival, La Merce 2014.

The 'Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls' build a human tower during day three of the 27th Tarragona Human Tower Competition in Tarragona. The competition takes place every other year and features the main 'Castellers' teams (colles) of Catalonia during a three day event organized by the Tarragona City Hall

June 8th, 2014. Barcelona, Spain: The Castellers de la vila de Gracia build a human tower, '5 de 8' in the second round of the Castellers day in front of the 'Sagrada Familia'

Barcelona, Spain. 24 September, 2014: The Castellers de la vila de Gracia build a human tower, '5 de 8' in the second round of the Castellers day in front of the 'Sagrada Familia'

Barcelona, Spain. 24 September, 2014: The 'Castellers de Sants' build a human tower during the city festival 'La Merce 2014' in front of the town hall of Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain. 6 February, 2015: The castellers of the 'Colla Jove de Barcelona' build an illuminated human tower as the festival of light and the St Eulalia festivities start in front of Barcelona's town hall.

Barcelona, Spain. 20 September, 2015: The 'Colla Jove Xiquets de Valls' deconstract one of their human towers during the city festival 'La Merce 2015' in front of the town hall of Barcelona.

Barcelona, Spain. 20 September, 2015: The 'Minyons de Terrassa' celebrate a human tower during the city festival 'La Merce 2015' in front of the town hall of Barcelona.

Barcelona, Spain. 24 September, 2016: The 'Castellers de Sants' organize the base of a human tower during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

Barcelona, Spain. 24 September, 2016: The 'Castellers de Barcelona' build the base of a human tower during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

Barcelona, Spain. 25 September, 2016: The statue of 'Jaume I' at the facade of Barcelona's city hall wears a headband from the 'Castellers de Barcelona' during the 'Merce 2016

The 'Castellers de Sants' build a human tower during day three of the 27th Tarragona Human Tower Competition in Tarragona. The competition takes place every other year and features the main 'Castellers' teams (colles) of Catalonia during a three day event organized by the Tarragona City Hall

Barcelona, Spain. 25 September, 2016: The 'Minyons de Terrassa' build a human tower during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

Barcelona, Spain. 25 September, 2016: The 'Minyons de Terrassa' celebrate a human tower during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

Barcelona, Spain. 25 September, 2016: The 'Colla Jove Xiquets de Valls' build a human tower during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

Barcelona, Spain. 25 September, 2016: The 'Castellers de Barcelona' build the base of a human tower during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

Barcelona, Spain. 20 November, 2016: xxx in action in the LaLiga match between FC Barcelona and Malaga CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain. 20 November, 2016: The united hands of a base of a human tower by the 'Castellers de la Vila de Gracia' during a 'diada castellera' at Barcelona's Gracia quarter

Barcelona, Spain. 23 September, 2017: The 'Castellers de Barcelona' build the base of a human tower during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

Barcelona, Spain. 23 September, 2017: The 'Minyons de Terrassa' build a human pillar during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce

Barcelona, Spain. 24 September, 2017: A human tower of the 'Colla Jove de Barcelona' collapses after being built during Barcelona's city holiday 'La Merce'

The 'Colla Jove Xiquets de Tarragona' build a human tower during day three of the 27th Tarragona Human Tower Competition in Tarragona. The competition takes place every other year and features the main 'Castellers' teams (colles) of Catalonia during a three day event organized by the Tarragona City Hall

Matthias Oesterle

Matthias Oesterle is a German documentary photographer based between Barcelona and Menorca.

His work focuses on people, place and tradition, with a particular interest in the gestures, rituals and everyday moments that shape community life. Working close to his subjects, he seeks proximity and immersion, documenting events and lived environments from within rather than from a distance.

He began working in documentary photography in 2011 while covering the 15-M protests in Barcelona. Since then, his practice has developed toward long-term documentation of social and cultural life across Spain, especially in rural and traditional communities where identity, continuity and belonging are expressed through collective practices.

In recent years, his work has increasingly centred on traditions, rituals and popular festivals — including correfocs, casteller performances and regional celebrations across Spain. Beyond the spectacle of public events, he is drawn to the human structures behind them: preparation, inherited knowledge, domestic thresholds, shared effort, humour, fatigue and moments of connection between generations.

Before focusing on photography, he spent nearly two decades in visual communication, including work as an On-Air designer for Germany’s largest private television news network and later as Art Director at a leading Spanish advertising agency. This background continues to inform his structured approach to composition, colour and visual storytelling.

His photographs have been published internationally in media including The Guardian, National Geographic, Le Monde, Paris Match, El País and The Wall Street Journal.

He continues to work on long-term photographic projects documenting cultural traditions, public rituals and the communities that sustain them.

Castellers

About me

Matthias Oesterle