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Photos: Record-Setting Human Tower Rises Up From Roof At 230 Fifth
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 21, 2012
Modified Jun 21, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 21, 2012
Modified Jun 21, 2012
Share
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The world record in human tower building was SHATTERED yesterday when a team of brawny Catalonian tower builders climbed on top of each other at the rooftop lounge at 230 Fifth. Human tower building, it seems, is a time-honored tradition in the Catalonian region, where people have built multi-story human towers called "castells" for over three centuries. Whatever keeps 'em off the streets! Last night, at dusk, they did their thing in the Flatiron District, and photographer Katie Sokoler was on hand to capture the record-setting construction.
In the end, the 150 member Castellers de Vilafranca set a new world record by building the first eight-level castell ever assembled on a rooftop. Note that the tower was crowned with children—the most dangerous human ornaments. (“They’re the New York Giants” of human tower-building, Ram Devineni, a producer and director of a documentary about the team called The Human Tower, told the Times.) If you want to watch the towers rise with your own eyes, they'll be climbing on top of each other tomorrow (Friday) near the Brooklyn Bridge, and at the United Nations on Saturday. Details here.
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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