This is how the Castellers de Barcelona crowned the Swiss Alps

The Castellers de Barcelona have experienced one of the most special weekends in recent years with a tour of Switzerland that combined a historic feat, the promotion of Catalan culture, and the sponsorship of the Castellers de Lausanne. The expedition consisted of around 200 people – 180 of them in uniform – and they turned the Helvetic country into the setting for a journey that goes far beyond the castells.

The initiative began almost by chance. Following the sponsorship of the Lausanne group, the Castellers de Barcelona came into contact with the Switzerland Tourism Office, which proposed bringing castells to some of the most emblematic places in the country. From this collaboration was born the most ambitious challenge: to perform at the highest railway station in Europe, the Jungfraujoch, known as the Top of Europe.

The performance at the Jungfraujoch will go down in the history of castells, and probably not so much for the castells successfully completed as for the symbolism of the feat and the difficulty of building structures at an altitude of 3,454 meters. The Castellers de Barcelona completed the 3d7, the 4d7, and the 5d6, in addition to several pillars, making them the group that has built documented castells at the highest altitude. Until now, the record was held by two groups: in 2020, the Bordegassos de Vilanova had built a pillar at the summit of Aneto (3,404 meters), and three years earlier (2017) the Castellers de l'Alt Maresme had completed a pd4 at the Pica d'Estats (3,143 meters), the highest point of the Catalan Pyrenees.

Thus, this Thursday, in front of the Aletsch Glacier, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, two heritages recognized by this organization met in the same setting: the alpine glacier and the castells, inscribed as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. An exceptional coincidence that reinforces the symbolism of an already historic performance.

Altitude, another adversary

The challenge for the Castellers de Barcelona was very demanding: to complete a full performance with three towers and pillars. The main difficulty was not technical, but physiological. In just half an hour, the train to climb to Jungfraujoch ascends over 1,200 meters in altitude to reach 3,454 meters, a change that forces the body to adapt quickly.

Before climbing, the group informed all participants in detail about medical recommendations: constant hydration, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, being aware of possible altitude sickness symptoms, and reporting any discomfort to the organization, which had prepared medical assistance. The risk was well controlled thanks to the prior preparation and the technical level of the group, accustomed to working on higher constructions. Nevertheless, it was essential that everyone be attentive to any signs of dizziness or excessive fatigue.

In fact, those who noticed this change the most were the grallers. Playing the gralla at that altitude required a much greater effort than usual, but despite these difficulties, the entire performance could be completed with musical accompaniment.

From the Jungfrau to Chillon Castle and Lausanne

After the historic day in the Alps, the tour continued with performances in other emblematic locations in the country. Chillon Castle, on the shores of Lake Geneva, and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne were the next venues before the official christening of the Castellers de Lausanne. The performance in front of the Olympic museum also had a symbolic component, with the unfurling of an Olympic flag linked to the Barcelona '92 Games.

The origin of this trip is also closely linked to the birth of the Castellers de Lausanne. The Swiss group began to form in 2022 and consolidated in 2023 thanks, in part, to the connection with former members of the Castellers de Barcelona who lived in Switzerland.

The head of the Castellers de Barcelona group, Gabriel Puig, recalls that when the christening began to be discussed, someone jokingly commented that they could take advantage of the trip to build the human tower at a higher altitude. That idea, which seemed almost impossible, has ended up becoming a reality.

An international group

The Castellers of Lausanne perfectly reflect the international character of the city. In addition to Catalans residing in Switzerland, the group includes people of various nationalities, such as French, Italians, Dutch, and some Swiss. At rehearsals, they combine Catalan, French, and English, although casteller terminology is kept in Catalan. The city, marked by its university and scientific environment, also means that many of its members are researchers, students, or qualified professionals.

The children also show this diversity. Many children have Swiss nationality, but they are the children of Catalan families established in the country for years. Currently, the group has about eighty shirts, although to be part of it, one must have attended rehearsals regularly. It maintains a close relationship with other groups abroad, especially the one in Zurich, with whom they share activities several times a year.

A season that invites dreaming

For the Castellers de Barcelona, this tour arrives at one of the best moments. The group has recovered important constructions such as the 2d8f and has already completed two eight-and-a-half performances this season, a start that had not been seen for years. The immediate objective is to arrive in the best conditions at the Vilafranca Martyrs Street performance, scheduled for just over a month from now, to build two eight-story castles and debut a new construction that will allow them to continue aspiring to the great challenge: recovering the nine-story castles. The second part of the season will have the Mercè and the Castells Competition as main events, two dates on which the group expects to reach its maximum level.