The Catalan Generalitat has filed a new financial claim against the government of Aragon, related to the return of 56 works of art from the Sijena Monastery. Catalonia is demanding 791,000 euros — the amount the region’s authorities paid to acquire these works in 1983 and 1992, adjusted for inflation, as well as the costs of storing and preserving them during years of exhibition in museums in Barcelona and Lleida.
The issue concerns a collection that the Catalan side acquired from the Vallbona monastery, but was forced by a court decision in 2017 to return to Aragon. The court then ruled that the Vallbona monastery did not have the right to sell these works, as they belonged to the Sijena order and were considered its independent property. As a result, the transactions were declared void, and the Catalan museums were obliged to return the exhibits.
In the official letter sent to the government of Aragon, the Generalitat detailed the claim amount: 420,317 euros is the purchase cost at current prices, and another 370,801 euros covers storage and restoration expenses from 1999 until their transfer. The Catalan side emphasizes that it is acting within the law: following the annulment of the transactions, the parties must return to each other everything received, including money and property.
The Aragon authorities have already criticized Catalonia’s demand, calling it legally unfounded. According to Culture Advisor Mar Vaquero, the arguments of the Generalitat do not stand up to legal scrutiny. The Catalan side, in turn, has expressed its readiness to negotiate and is giving 30 days to resolve the dispute before turning to the courts.
Meanwhile, another conflict between the regions continues—a dispute over the return of frescoes from the Sigena Monastery, which were removed in 1936 to save them from destruction. In 2021, Spain’s Supreme Court confirmed that these works should also be returned to Aragon, as they are part of the national artistic heritage. As noted by russpain.com, such disputes between regions are not uncommon; conflicts over the transfer of cultural assets have arisen before in Spain, as reflected in the article about political disagreements over military investments in Jaén.
For reference: The Sigena Monastery is one of the most important monuments of medieval architecture in Aragon, and its art collection has repeatedly been the subject of legal battles between regions. The issue of compensation for returned artworks could set a new precedent for interregional disputes in Spain. In recent years, such conflicts have become increasingly prominent amid growing regional competition over cultural heritage and budget resources.
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