> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Sixena Murals Must Be Returned by May 2027 - URL: https://barna.news/sixena-murals-must-be-returned-by-may/ - Published: 2026-08-31T11:42:33.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-31T11:42:33.000Z - Description: A Huesca court has ordered the MNAC to return medieval frescoes to Aragon within 56 weeks, rejecting appeals over transfer feasibility. - Author: Laia Serra - Tags: culture ## Legal Deadline Set for Return of Sixena Frescoes The National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) must return the medieval mural paintings from the Chapter House of the Sixena Monastery to Aragon by the week of 10 May 2027, under a final court order issued by the Huesca court. The ruling sets a 56-week deadline for the transfer, shorter than the 64-week timeline proposed by the museum, and confirms the enforceability of a Supreme Court judgment requiring the return of the artworks. Judge Rocío Pilar Vargas of Huesca’s Court of First Instance and Instruction Number 2 dismissed an appeal by MNAC against the enforcement timeline, stating that debates over the feasibility of dismantling and moving the murals were already settled during the declarative phase of the case. The court found it inadmissible to reopen those questions during execution, particularly as the Spanish Supreme Court has already confirmed the final judgment. --- ## Technical Assessments and Museum Compliance The court accepted the validity of prior technical inspections conducted by Aragonese experts, which informed the 56-week deadline. It ordered MNAC to provide documented proof of compliance at each stage of the transfer process. The museum had argued that expert reports showed the operation posed serious risks to the fragile artworks, but the judge ruled that such concerns could not delay enforcement. The order also grants Aragonese technicians access to rooms 16 and 17 at MNAC for as long as necessary, during which time the galleries will remain closed to the public. The court acknowledged the complexity of the operation, noting that immediate compliance was not possible due to the cultural value and fragility of the 13th-century frescoes. > The legal obligation to comply is beyond question, but this does not alter the material reality of the situation, the extreme fragility of the artworks. MNAC sources told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) they are reviewing the decision and stand by their assessment that the removal process is technically challenging and could result in irreversible damage. ### Transfer Timeline and Enforcement Measures - The deadline for full transfer is the week of 10 May 2027. - MNAC was given 10 days to submit an alternative timetable, which the court could assess. - No financial penalties are imposed at this stage, though daily fines of €5,000 for missed weekly milestones were previously requested by Aragon. - The Aragonese government will oversee reassembly at the Monastery of Vilanova de Sixena. The murals, dating from around the year 1200, have been on display at MNAC for over 70 years. Their return follows years of litigation initiated after the Generalitat de Catalunya purchased the artworks from nuns who had relocated from the monastery. --- ## Former Lawyer Questions Judicial Path Xavier Muñoz, the first lawyer to represent the Generalitat in the case, recently reflected on the legal journey during a conference at the Catalan Summer University (UCE). He expressed confidence that the original claim should have been winnable, citing a 2012 Constitutional Court ruling that affirmed the Generalitat’s authority over the artworks. However, Muñoz criticised a loophole in that decision, the phrase “without prejudice to civil ownership”, which allowed Aragonese authorities to challenge the sale contracts. He described the subsequent judicial reasoning as legally unsound, particularly the imposition of a transfer order by a third party not party to the original transaction. Despite the legal loss, Muñoz stressed that administrative rules within the Generalitat restrict how museum collections can be moved, requiring permits and reports from the Museum Board, conditions he said remain unmet. --- *Reported by en.ara.cat, catalannews.com, elmon.cat.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Tadeo Jones 4 premieres in Catalan in 38 cinemas](https://barna.news/tadeo-jones-4-premieres-in-catalan-in/) - [Catalan Rumba Seeks UNESCO Recognition](https://barna.news/catalan-rumba-seeks-unesco-recognition/) - [Barcelona Transport Museum Stalls Over Location Row](https://barna.news/barcelona-transport-museum-stalls-over/) - [Delta de l'Ebre boat tours offer commentary only in Spanish](https://barna.news/delta-de-lebre-boat-tours-offer-commentary-only-in-spanish/)