Spain’s Ministry of Culture has returned the so-called Virgen de la Manzana to the Autonomous Community of La Rioja. The Gothic Madonna was stolen on the night of 4–5 August 1963 from the altarpiece at San Millán de Suso . According to the institutions involved, the figure was found in Poitiers (France) around two years later and, after restoration by what is now the Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España was initially held at the Museo de Málaga . During a recent inventory check at the Museo de Málaga, the sculpture was conclusively identified as belonging to the altarpiece at San Millán de Suso, enabling the return process, now complete.
The handover was carried out in cooperation with the Ministerio de Cultura, the Government of La Rioja and the Junta de Andalucía. The Museo de Málaga and the Museo de La Riojawere also involved. The Virgen de la Manzana will become part of the state collections of the Museo de La Rioja, but will initially be shown in the exhibition “AutorIA: La Rioja, tierra del español” at Yuso Monastery . The exhibition runs from 30 September 2026 to 10 January 2027.
The authorities also highlight the ongoing restoration and conservation work across the San Millán complex. The Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España has been carrying out emergency works since December 2024. These include removing damp, improving water management, and consolidating roofs and building structures; the budget is more than €4.5 million. The Madonna’s return is seen in this context as the recovery of a clearly documented component of the original altarpiece and as a boost to the historic ensemble.
The exhibition at Yuso brings together loans from national and international institutions. These include items from the Museo Arqueológico Nacional and the Louvre, as well as the Códice Patrístico from the Archivo Histórico Nacional. Organisers see this as a cultural policy statement for La Rioja, highlighting the importance of the site San Millán de la Cogolla underscores the history of the Spanish language.
The monastery complex of San Millán de la Cogolla (Suso and Yuso) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. Central to its status are the so-called glosas emilianenses, early notes in Romance and Basque. With the return of the Virgen de la Manzana, an identified part of the cultural heritage created in San Millán is coming back to its place of origin; the authorities have announced that conservation monitoring will continue.
Editor: Celestina Fuentes (Article created with AI assistance).