Santa Eulalia Festival

In Barcelona, Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th February marked the festival of Saint Euclaia, one of Barcelona’s patron Saints. On a beautifully sunny Sunday morning, we ventured to Jamue Sqaure to witness the many traditional catalan festivities and celebrations taking place there. On arrival we were greeted by a crowd of ‘gegants’ (giant papier-maché characters), towering over the heads of the masses and dancing to drums and trumpets that echoed around the civi square. The gegants then formed a parade and filed out of the square and on down the gothic streets, to the claps and cheers of the many on-lookers.

Following the parade, a 21 groups of castellers (traditional catalan human towers) performed with music and drums before assembling themselves into the impressive human structures that grew spontaneously out of the crowd. The Catalan Towers were absolutely amazing to watch (as well as terrifying!) as we watched men, then women, then young girls form the towers before tiny children clambered to the top and crossed over with a triumphant salut before descending down the bodies to safety.

These towers were truly impressive to all of us and we stood in awe (and shock!) of the height and the composition of limbs and bodies that made up the structures and breathed a sigh of relief each time they safely deconstructed! I think we all very much appreciated being a part of this festival as it gave us an insight into the local catalan traditions as well as a triumphant ending to our stay.