Gegants i capgrossos - giants and big heads. In Spanish and Catalan festivals you can often see 'gegants i capgrossos' (Catalan) or 'gigantes y cabezudos' (Spanish) which means 'giants and big heads.' Gegants and Capgrossos are papier-maché figures. The gegants are carried by 'geganters' which means 'giant-carrier.' The giants are hollow papier-maché figures usually three or four metres meters tall that show the upper part of the figure and have a skirt covering the lower part.

'Capgros' is a smaller papier-maché figure with a huge head that is worn on the head and shoulders often by children. The person wearing a 'capgros' looks out through the mouth opening. Gegants and capgrossos can be seen at most Catalan festivals in the opening "cercavila" parade, which literally means 'around the village.' Districts and neighbourhoods each have their own festival figures and during the big festivals, like the annual Merce Festival in Barcelona, all the giants and other figures of the city come together for the big parades. On the gegants.bcn - Coordinadora de Geganters de Barcelona' website (in Catalan) you can find information about the 27 'Colles de Geganters de la Ciutat de Barcelona,' which are the groups that make and organise parades with giants.

At the moment there are around 100 papier-maché giant figures and 1000 giant-carriers in Barcelona.

Other Barcelona gegant webpages:

Pictures Gegants + Capgrossos
Photos Catalan traditions Festa de Gracia
CCGBCV  - giants and beasts in Barcelona old city
Casa dels Entremesos - display and offices of CCGBCV
Gegants de Sant Jaume
Gegants del Raval
Gegants del Pi
Gegantes del Sagrada Família
Gegantsbcn
Xambanga de Gegants parade Merce Festival