Centuries of styles clash in Vic’s exquisite cathedral. Most of the neoclassical exterior dates to the 18th century, but the seven-storey Romanesque bell tower is one of few remnants from the 11th century. Within, the Stations of the Cross are animated in bold World War II–era frescoes by Josep Maria Sert, while Corinthian columns glow gold in the darkness. Entrance to the cathedral is free; admission (well worth it) applies to the 14th-century Gothic cloisters, 11th-century crypt and Pere Oller's impressive altarpiece.
The altarpiece is a 15th-century alabaster masterwork showing scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and various saints. The elaborate Gothic tracery decorating the cloisters, and the crypt (where Sert is buried), are also well worth admiring. Sert's original frescoes burnt down at the beginning of the civil war, so he dutifully repainted them, between 1939 and 1945.
