Women on Postcards | E Is for Enxaneta

A castell (literally "castle") is a human pyramid built traditionally at festivals in southern Catalonia, now also found in the rest of Catalonia, and in the Balearic Islands. At these festivals, several colles castelleres (teams that build towers) attempt to build and then dismantle a tower's structure. On 16 November 2010, castells were declared by UNESCO to be amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

The enxaneta is the casteller who crowns the human structures. Generally, the enxaneta is a boy or girl, between 5 and 10 years old.

The assembly is complete once all castellers have climbed into their designated places, and the enxaneta climbs into place at the top and raises one open hand. The enxaneta then climbs down the other side of the castell, after which the remaining levels of castellers descend in highest to lowest order until all have reached safety.

[Women on Postcards - 2026]