More than a hundred castellers from the Xiquets de Tarragona took to the streets of Tarragona on Sunday to mark the centenary of continuous human tower building in the city. The event traced a route through key historic landmarks, including the Portal de Sant Antoni, Carrer de Santa Anna, the Roman Amphitheatre, and concluded inside the ancient Roman Circus.
The procession highlighted the evolution of the colla (casteller group) through the display of its three historic shirts, each representing a foundational phase in the group’s century-long legacy. The blue shirt symbolises the Colla Vella de la Mercè, established in 1926 during the revival of casteller culture. The purple shirt stands for the Colla Nova de Sant Magí, founded in 1931 and reformed two decades later. The red-and-white striped shirt represents the current Matalassers, which emerged in September 1970 following the unification of the two earlier groups under a municipal decision by the Tarragona city council at the time.
Symbolism of the Three Shirts
“We didn’t vote whether we accepted it!”
The forced merger in 1970 was carried out without consultation, as recalled by former casteller Mariano Borrero “Gordito”, who participated in the last performance of the Colla Nova before its dissolution on 30 August 1970. In an account preserved by DiarideTarragona.com, he described the surprise meeting held at the Plenary Hall where leaders announced the unification, noting resistance among members of both groups.
Despite initial opposition, the unified colla has become a cultural institution. This year’s centenary programme, spanning talks, concerts, and performances, commemorates not only the 50th anniversary of the merged group but also 100 years of uninterrupted casteller activity in Tarragona since 1926.
A Weekend of Celebration
The street parade followed a successful performance the previous day in Vila-seca, where the group completed their second 4-de-9 amb folre of the season. The celebration also included special merchandise designed by Vallenc artist Marc Volpini, featuring the three historic shirts and key dates: 1885, 1926, and 1970.
A commemorative box set containing 100 postcards, one for each year of the group's history, was also unveiled as part of the centenary events organised by the colla.
Primary sources: barcelona.cat. Reported by tac12.tv, salou.com, diaridetarragona.com, lavanguardia.com, xiquetsdetarragona.com, xhire.pro, Ara, diarimes.com, DiariTots21, es.hispanopedia.com, elMonCasteller.cat.
