The Castellers de Vilafranca gang was founded the month of September 1948, by the hand ofOriol Rosell, who was the first gang leader. The beginnings were marked by the achievement of the first castells of seven and by the close relations with the other gangs of the time. During these years, the gang leaders were theOriol Rosell (1948-1952) and the Ramon Sala (1953-1955) and the color of the shirt was pink, first, and red, later.
First Castellers de Vilafranca performance
In 1956 the gang remained almost inactive due to internal disagreements. In 1957 reorganized and adopted the green color of the shirt. From 1957 to 1968 they are castells years out of seven and the most outstanding achievement was five out of seven. From 1969 until 1974, the gang made a very important qualitative leap and achieved the first castells of eight: the tower of seven, the four of eight, the three of eight, the pillar of six and the tower of eight with lining.
First pillar of six
In 1972 won the Tarragona Castles Competition. During these years the gang leaders were the Joseph Pedrol (1957-1959), the Carles Domènech (1960-1961), the John Bolet (1962-1963), the Gabi Martinez(1964-1969), the Luis Gimenez (1970-1973) and the Gabi Martinez, again (1974).
Three out of eight in the first competition won by Castellers de Vilafranca
In 1975 the gang made an important change in its internal structure: it went from the almost exclusive direction of the gang leader to being governed by a collegiate technical team. In 1981 it was again a year of internal changes as it was decided that the castellerss would not charge individually. This led to a split in the gang. Between the years 1975 and 1982, the gang maintained the castells of eight, albeit with jobs and jobs. 1983 and 1984 were years of recovery and consolidation for the basic eight castellss, but the final blow came in 1985 when the first five-of-eight was released.
This paved the way for the new lined castellss: in 1987 the gang loaded the first three and four again with liner, and in 1989 unloaded the three for the first time and in 1990, the four. From 1975 to 1994 the head of the gang was the Carles Domènech.
From 1995 onwards the gang enters a spiral of success. The maximum milestones are achieved: unload the tower of nine with lining and shackles, the pillar of seven with lining, the pillar of eight with lining and shackles (the first of the 20th century), the four of eight with the needle (the first of the 20th century), the four of nine with lining and the needle (the first in the history of castells), the five of nine with lining and the three and four of nine with simultaneous lining (for the first time and unique in all the castle history), and load the tower of eight (first of the 20th century), the four of nine and the three of ten with lining and shackles (the first in the history of the castells). Francesc Moreno "Melilla", was head of Colla from 1995 to 2003 and during this period the group won the Tarragona Castles Competition in 1996, 1998 and 2002.
Three and four again with simultaneous lining. Castellers de Vilafranca
The Lluís Esclassans happened to be the head of Colla the 2004 and during its four-year term the Colla managed to win two more Tarragona Castles Competitions, in 2004 and 2006 and achieved the best day in the history of the castells on Sant Fèlix 2005: 4d9 fa, Td9 f ( c), 3d10 fm (c), Pd8 fm (c) and the best dyad ever with all castells unloaded by All Saints 2006: 4d9 fa, 5d9 f, Td9 fm, Pd8 fm.
In 2007 the Castellers de Vilafranca were ambassadors of Catalan culture at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Walnut tower with Castellers de Vilafranca lining
The David Miret is from 2008 the head of Colla dels Castellers de Vilafranca. His first castells as head of Colla he led them in Chile, on the occasion of the tour that the gang made in January 2008 and which served as an impetus for the Chilean castelleras gangs that were created with the advice and support from the people of Vilafranca. In 2008, the Castellers de Vilafranca achieved an unprecedented feat to date: winning the 4th consecutive Tarragona Castles Competition. The performance that the verds performed to win the 2008 Contest is the best in history performed in a Contest and the second counting all the performances.
In 2009 the Castellers de Vilafranca performed in Flanders and visited England for the first time. This 2009 also brought the castellers successes of downloading the first 3 of 9 with lining and the needle of history (in Vilafranca on August 31) and completing the first 5 of 8 with the needle of history (in Reus on October 3).
The Castellers de Vilafranca, after trying it unsuccessfully in the Competition they won, achieved the td8 for the first time in the history of the castells on All Saints Day 2010.
Castellers de Vilafranca – first tower of eight unloaded
In 2012 he took over the reins of the gang Peter Admiral, known in the gang as "Pere de Sant Quintí". That same year, the Castellers de Vilafranca managed to win the fifth consecutive Castle Contest by downloading for the first time in their history the four of nine without lining, a castle that they put together with the unprecedented seven of nine with lining on All Day saints The 2013 season also became a historic season, managing to download after 15 years the three out of ten with lining and handcuffs in a Sant Félix that became the best day in history so far. That season would end with just one try: the first four-for-ten of all time. In the following two years, the gang continued to lead the world of castles, once again winning the Tarragona Castles Competition and making the 2015 All Saints' Day the best ever (3d9fa, td8, 3d10fm and pd8fm).
The Tony Bach he became head of gang in 2016. During his tenure almost unimaginable milestones were achieved until then, such as unloading the first three of eight raised below the gang in the Bisbal and completing six 3d10fm in one year, making places of ten places loved by the gang such as Vilanova and la Geltrú, l'Arboç and Tarragona. The union of the 3d10fm with the first 4d10fm downloaded in the gang's history gave the Castellers de Vilafranca their eighth consecutive victory in the Castles Competition, who the following year would repeat the best performance in history in a double game on St. Felix and All Saints.
