Five 17th century masterpieces stolen from the Westfries Museum in Hoorn, were returned to the Noord-Holland town on Friday.

The works of art are part of a haul of 24 paintings and 70 items of silverware stolen in January 2005. The five paintings were found in Ukraine earlier this year.

The museum has now launched a crowd-funding campaign to pay for their restoration, saying they are in a ‘terrible condition’.

Museum director Ad Geerdink said in a speech marking the works’ return that the monetary value of the paintings does not outweigh the cultural and emotional value they have for both Hoorn and the museum.

‘They tell the history of the 17th century to which the city of Hoorn owes so much and of which the traces are still visible everywhere,’ he said.

The cost of restoring the paintings is put at €100,000.