(1815–1892), composer and conductor Frédérick Bousquet (born 1981), freestyle and butterfly swimmer Robert Brasillach (1909–1945), fascist author and journalist Eugène Collache (1847–1883), French Navy officer who fought in Japan Mary Elmes (1908–2002), Irish aid worker François de Fossa (1775–1849), classical guitarist and composer Jean-Luc Escayol (born 1972), footballer Christian Andreu (born 1976), guitarist Jacques-François Gallay (1795– 1864), French horn player and composer Philippe Georget (born 1962), novelist Louise Labé (1524–1566), Lyons poet of the Renaissance Aristide Maillol (1861–1944), sculptor and painter André Marty (1886–1956), communist leader Menachem Meiri (1249–c.1310), Catalan rabbi, Talmudist, and Maimonidean Isabelle Pasco (born 1966), actress Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659–1743), painter Following a visit in 1963, the Catalan surrealist artist Salvador Dalí declared the city's railway station the centre of the Universe, saying that he always got his best ideas sitting in its waiting room. Dalí's painting La Gare de Perpignan commemorates his vision of "cosmogonic ecstasy" there on 19 September 1963. He followed that up some years later by declaring that the Iberian Peninsula rotated precisely at Perpignan station 132 million years ago – an event the artist invoked in his 1983 painting Topological Abduction of Europe – Homage to René Thom. Above the station is a monument in Dali's honour, and across the surface of one of the main platforms is painted, in big letters, «perpignan centre du monde» (French for "perpignan centre of the world"). Gallery See also Communes of the Pyrénées-Orientales department References Bibliography Alícia Marcet, Histoire de Perpignan, la fidelíssima (1995), Perpinyà [Perpignan] : Llibres del Trabucaire, External links History of Perpignan Perpignan Tourist Office Museum guide Unofficial guide to Perpignan Airport Companie Transports – Public Bus System Communes of Pyrénées-Orientales Cities in Occitania (administrative region) Capitals of former nations Northern Catalonia Prefectures in France Vauban fortifications in France Cities in France