Few people have heard of Count Guifré 'el Pilós' (c860-98), yet not only was he the first to unite several northeastern counties, creating the basis for a future Catalan state, but he also declared Barcelona capital of the region and founded the dynasty of the Counts of Barcelona. Sadly he met an early death, in battle against the Saracens. It is said that, in recognition of his heroism, the Emperor dipped his fingers into Wilfred's bloody wounds then ran them down his golden shield, thereby creating the four red stripes of today's Catalan flag - the Quatre Barres (Four Bars), the oldest flag in Europe.

Gaudí (1852-1926), Barcelona's most famous son, occupies a unique position in the history of modern architecture. He was a true genius of the Modernista movement, without predecessor or successor. To this day his flamboyant art is unique. For many people, Gaudí alone is sufficient reason to visit Barcelona, to see his remarkable organic structures, his trademark pinnacles, towers and rooftop terraces and, above all, the church of the Sagrada Família. Tragically, Gaudí was run over by a tram on the Gran Via and died unrecognised in hospital. When his identity was discovered, Barcelona gave him what was almost a state funeral.

Málaga-born Picasso (1881-1973) spent many of his formative years (from the age of 14 to 23) in Barcelona, and is said to have considered himself more Catalan than Andalucian. He was particularly fond of the Catalan capital and, even after his move to Paris in 1904, continued to visit Barcelona regularly, until the Civil War (the subject of his famous painting, Guernica) put an end to his visits. Museu Picasso, the city's most visited museum, is particularly rich in paintings from his Barcelona period.