Josep Sala i Mañé (1938 – 20 April 2020) was a Spanish Catalan casteller.[1]

Sala (the first one below the middle pillar) in the first colla actuation in 1969

He was born in Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain, in 1938. In his youth, he was member of the Castellers de Vilafranca[2] until his family moved to Barcelona in the 50s.[3] In 1958, alongside the Duch family and Pere Català i Roca [ca] he founded the colla (team) of Castellers de Ballets de Cataluña,[4] but this group dissolved in 1963. Six years later, Sala founded the Castellers de Barcelona, the fourth oldest, and was its head between 1969 and 1976.[5]

He died on 20 April 2020 in his hometown, at the age of 82, after suffering from COVID-19 during COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

References

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  1. ^ "Muere el fundador de los Castellers de Barcelona, Josep Sala, por coronavirus". elperiodico. 21 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Josep Sala, una vida dedicada als castells". revistacastells.cat. 9 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Josep Sala: "Parlàvem de castells i la gent ens mirava estranyada"". elperiodico. 24 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Castellers de Barcelona 25 anys" Un segle i mig de castells a la ciutat (2004), Raimon Cervera, Josep Dàvila i Claudi Dòmper - Ed. DUX, pag.28
  5. ^ Blanchar, Clara (21 April 2020). "Mor de coronavirus Josep Sala, fundador dels Castellers de Barcelona". El País.