Spain's Supreme Court has ruled that the descendants of dictator Franco must return two valuable Romanesque sculptures to the city of Santiago de Compostela, according to court documents.
The statues were once part of the "Door of Glory," a twelfth-century portal that marked the entrance to the Cathedral of Santiago, considered a masterpiece of medieval art and where the famous Camino pilgrimage ends.
The statues were removed during restoration work on the cathedral's facade and were purchased by the city in 1948.
Franco's wife, Carmen Polo, expressed interest in them during a visit to the city in 1952, after which they were taken to the Meira Palace, Franco's summer residence.
"Motivated by the desire to please the wife of the head of state," the then mayor organized their transportation to Meira Palace, the decision said.
The court ruled that despite Franco's family having owned the statues for a long time, they still belong to the city of Santiago.
Franco's heirs said the city never completed the purchase and that the statues were purchased through antique dealers, citing information passed down orally in the family.
Franco came to power in a military coup against the Republican government in July 1936 and ruled the country until his death in 1975.