Taüll

The Taüll falles is one of the festivals that is believed to have been held without interruption since its beginnings. The Ribagorçana form of falla was traditionally used, but it has been replaced by the rantiner, which is made from the resinous trunk of the mountain pine. Two deep incisions in the form of a cross are made in the widest end, which is held open with wedges. The place chosen to raise the large pine that will act as a beacon is Torresplanes (1,767 m.), which is about two kilometers from the town and has magnificent views of the valley.

Two beacons are also planted closer to the village, so that those who cannot climb to Torresplanes can also take part. The fallaires climb to the beacon in the middle of the afternoon, carrying the torches on their shoulders. When it gets dark, rockets are fired off to signal that the descent of the falles is beginning. At 22.30, the children light their falles with the help of their parents and make their way to the church of Santa Maria, where to the sound of traditional music they are welcomed by the public.

They then go down to the lower part of the Plaça del Riu, where they throw down the falles. They are followed by the adolescents, and finally, at around eleven o’clock at night, by the adults, who light their falles from about three or four fires. The falles are then brought down to the village, creating a long line of fire that is visible from the village. After about forty minutes, the fallaires enter the town to the sound of music and throw their falles on the Plaça del Cap del Riu. The party continues with dancing in the marquee until dawn. The descent of the falles was only for men until 2008. Although there was a vote against it, a group of six women made history that year by taking part in the descent.

More information : https://www.vallboi.cat/ca/falles
Email : Mairie @vallboi.ddl.net
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Village Council : +34 973 69 40 18

To find out more
Riart, O. i Jordà S. (2012). “Catalogació de les falles al Pirineu. Descripció dels processos i elements fallaires”, Revista d’Etnologia de Catalunya, nº38, 162-173.
Riart, O. i Jordà, S. (2016). Les falles del Pirineu. L’Alta Ribagorça i el Pallars Sobirà. Lleida: Pagès editors.
Ricart, S. i Farré, X. (2012). Foc al faro, la festa de les falles al Pirineu. Taüll: AlpinArt.
Farré Sahún, X.; Ricart, S. (2016) Foc al faro. La fiesta de las fallas en el Pirineo. Zaragoza: Prames

Photos and videos

Taüll falles, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Mlmo63v70

Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GopGrlDalNE