Page 226 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

224  EASTERN SP AIN

a Vic
Barcelona. * 43,200. £ @
n Plaça del Pes, 93 886 20 91.
( Tue, Sat & Sun. _ Mercat del
Ram (Sat before Easter), Sant Miquel
(28 Jun–7 Jul), Música Viva (mid-Sep),
Mercat Medieval (early Dec).
∑ victurisme.cat
Market days are the best time to
go to this small country town.
This is when the renowned local
sausages (embotits) are piled
high in the large Gothic Plaça
Major, along with other produce
from the surrounding plains. Cardona dominating the surrounding area from its hilltop site
In the 3rd century BC Vic was
the capital of an ancient Iberian E Museu Episcopal d Solsona
Plaça Bisbe Oliba. Tel 938 86 93 60.
tribe, the Ausetans. The town was Open Tue–Sun. Closed 1 & 6 Jan, Lleida. * 9,200. @ n Carretera de
then colonized by the Romans – Easter Sun, 25 & 26 Dec. 7 & 8 Bassella 1, 973 48 23 10. ( Tue & Fri.
the remains of a Roman temple ∑ museuepiscopalvic.com _ Carnival (Feb); Corpus Christi
survive today. Since the 6th (May/Jun), Festa Major (early Sep).
century the town has been a ∑ solsonaturisme.com
bishop’s see. In the 11th century, s Cardona
Abbot Oliva commissioned the Barcelona. * 4,800. @ n Avinguda Nine towers and three gate ways
El Cloquer tower, around which Rastrillo, 93 869 27 98. ( Sun. remain of Solsona’s fortifications.
the cathedral was built in the _ Festa Major (2nd last Sun of Sep). Inside the walls is an ancient
18th century. The interior of the ∑ cardonaturisme.cat town of noble mansions. The
cathedral is covered with vast cathedral has a black stone
murals by Josep Maria Sert The 13th-century castle of the Virgin. The Museu Diocesà
(1876–1945). They are painted dukes of Cardona, constables to i Comarcal contains
in reds and golds, and rep resent the crown of Aragón, is set on Romanesque paint ings
scenes from the Bible. the top of a hill. The castle was and archaeological finds.
Adjacent to the cathedral is rebuilt in the 18th century and is
the Museu Episcopal de Vic, now a parador. Beside the castle E Museu Diocesà i Comarcal
which has one of the best is an early 11th-century church, Plaça Palau 1. Tel 973 48 21 01. Open
collections of Romanesque the Església de Sant Vicenç, Tue–Sun. Closed 1 Jan, 25 & 26 Dec. 7
artifacts in Catalonia. Its large where the dukes are buried.
display of mainly religious art The castle gives views of the
and relics includes bright, town below and of the Mon- f Lleida
simple murals and wooden tanya de Sal (Salt Mountain), Lleida. * 138,400. £ @ n Carrer
sculptures from rural churches. a huge salt deposit beside the Major 31 bis, 973 70 03 19. ( Thu &
Also on display are 11th- and Riu Cardener which has been Sat. _ Sant Anastasi (11 May), Sant
12th-century frescoes. mined since Roman times. Miquel (29 Sep). ∑ lleidaturisme.cat
Dominating Lleida (Lérida),
the capital of Catalonia’s only
landlocked province, is La Suda,
a large fort taken from the
Moors in 1149. Within its walls is
the old cathedral, La Seu Vella,
founded in 1203, which was
transformed into barracks by
Felipe V in 1707 but still retains
its beautiful cloister and Gothic
rose window. After years of
neglect, the fort complex has
been restored and now offers
panoramic viewpoints.
A lift descends from the Seu
Vella to the Plaça de Sant Joan
in the town below. This square is
at the midpoint of a busy street
Twelfth-century altar frontal, Museu Episcopal de Vic sweeping round the foot of the
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp565–7 and pp588–90

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm