Pictures Giants - Gegants - Catalan traditions

Pictures Gegants and Capgrossos

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At Spanish and Catalan festivals you can often see 'gegants i capgrossos' (Catalan) or 'gigantes y cabezudos' (Spanish) which means 'giants and big heads.'

A geganter is the name for a 'giant-carrier.' The giants are hollow festival figures usually three or four metres meters tall that show the upper part of the figure and have a skirt covering the lower part. There are around 100 papier-maché giant figures and 1000 giant-carriers in Barcelona.

The 'capgrossos' are the festival figures with huge heads that are worn on the head and shoulders and the person wearing a 'capgrosso' looks out through the mouth opening. They are made out of papier-maché.  Gegants and capgrossosalso can be seen at most Catalan festivals in the 'cercavila' parade, which literally means 'around the village' 

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Many districts and neighbourhoods have their own figures and during certain festivals, like the Merce Festival in Barcelona, all the giants and other figures join in a parade together. Visit our listing about Gegants i Capgrossos to find useful links about this Catalan tradition.

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At Barcelona'a annual La Mercè  Festival there is  a parade called Xambanga de Gegants - Giants’ Xambanga in which giants from many groups participate.

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Catalan cultural traditions

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 July 2019 15:44
 
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