The Gegants d’Esplugues de Llobregat are one of the most representative symbols of the municipality's popular culture. The ensemble was born in 1984, when the City Council promoted the creation of three figures based on the medieval legend of the knight of Picalqués: the nobleman Mateu, the maiden Marta, and the horse Quim, all built at the Taller Can Boter de Tiana. The giant family was completed in 1987 with the giantess Caterina, and was later expanded with fourteen "capgrossos" (big-heads) and the fire-breathing dragon La Fal·lera, unveiled in 1989. The management and revitalization of the procession have been the responsibility of the Colla de Geganters d’Esplugues since its inception, an entity that has consolidated the presence of figures and parades in the main local celebrations.
The group experienced a moment of splendor in 1997, with the proclamation of Esplugues as a "Ciutat Gegantera" (City of Giants), an achievement that positioned the municipality as a benchmark within the Catalan giant tradition. In the following decades, the group has promoted gatherings, educational projects, and community events that have contributed to keeping the tradition alive and incorporating new audiences into this festive expression. The commemoration of the giants' twentieth anniversary, in 2004, included the National Gathering of "Capgrossos" (Big Heads) and the inauguration of the Plaça dels Capgrossos, in front of Pou d’en Fèlix park, a space that symbolizes the projection and deep roots of this heritage.
Today, Esplugues's giants and capgrossos are the stars of the Sant Mateu festival and a festive calendar that combines performance, outreach, and community participation. The Geganters group maintains its founding spirit, with the aim of preserving a legacy that is an undeniable part of the city's cultural identity.
