Supremo confirms Pazo de Meirás belongs to the State, orders Franco heirs' compensation

The Spanish Supreme Court unanimously confirmed that the Pazo de Meirás and its estates belong to the State, ending the dispute with Francisco Franco's heirs. The court also ruled that the dictator's heirs are entitled to financial compensation for maintenance and works carried out on the property while they occupied it, as they were not deemed to have acted in bad faith.

Key points

• The ruling confirms the previous sentence from the Provincial Court of A Coruña (February 2021).
• The Supreme Court rejected appeals from both the State (which included the Xunta de Galicia, A Coruña City Council, and Sada Council) and the Franco heirs (Martínez Bordiú-Franco siblings).
• The Court concluded that the Pazo was used for the service of the Head of State since 1938, meaning the 30-year legal period for acquiring property via adverse possession (usucapión) had not elapsed.
• The property, originally built by Emilia Pardo Bazán, was Franco's summer residence between 1938 and 1975.
• Memorial groups view this as a step toward ending impunity for Franco-era expropriations, noting the Casa Cornide in A Coruña remains in the heirs' hands.

Why it matters

This final judicial decision settles a long-standing legal battle over a property historically linked to the Franco dictatorship, returning it to public ownership.