El Vendrell was the setting on Saturday, 6 June 2026, as the Nens del Vendrell human tower group recreated a historic photograph from 1926 at the same street corner where it was first taken.
The original image, dated 15 October 1926, recorded the group’s first performance. A century later, members from different eras gathered again, including castellers who saw the group’s strongest years and others who helped keep it going through harder periods.
Isidre Güixens took the original photograph. His great-grandson, Joan Güixens, repeated the image on Saturday. Parts of the street corner remain unchanged, and many former and current castellers attended, some wearing faded red shirts with the name of El Vendrell, alongside younger members in new shirts.
The event was one of the main acts in the group’s year-long centenary programme. It also recalled key milestones in the Nens del Vendrell’s history, including the first tres de vuit of the 20th century in 1951, the first pilar de sis, and the pilar de set amb folre in 1969, which was not repeated for 30 years, according to officials.
The group also marked its win in the 1970 competition, known as the “contest of the century”, the sixth edition of the event that began in 1932. In that contest, the Nens del Vendrell built the first torre de vuit amb folre of the 20th century.
The centenary also recognised the difficult years after the loss of their emblematic leader, Jan Julivert, and the later recovery driven by loyal members. In 2015, the group built its first castell de nou, another major step in its history. The recreation also included the drum linked to the first castellers, which belonged to Anton Claramunt of the Romea grallers group. His great-grandson, Josep Rosell, wore his grandfather’s shirt and helped bring the drum into the moment.
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