The United Nations on Monday apologized for the "horrendous mistake" of mislabeling on a UN website a tapestry-reproduction of Pablo Picasso's famed anti-war painting "Guernica" as depicting a Republican atrocity, a UN spokesman said.

"We regret the error and extend our apologies to the people and government of Spain," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a regular briefing.

The world organization was made aware over the weekend by members of the Department of Global Communications who had seen press reports and social media traffic that the UN Gift Management website incorrectly attributed the historical atrocities at Guernica, Dujarric said.

"The Republicans were the victims, not the perpetrators," he said.

In April 1937, during the Spanish civil war, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy supporting nationalists bombed the Basque town of Guernica, killing civilians, their livestock and destroying their homes.

"It's obviously a horrendous mistake when you take into context what actually happened in Guernica," Dujarric said of the mislabelling. "We very much apologize for it. It was a mistake. It was not done with any maliciousness or any ulterior motive. It was just a mistake and we've apologized."

The spokesman said the error may have been up on the website for two to three years, but added that the site is now "under maintenance."

The full-size tapestry is a reproduction of the original, black, white and gray painting, nearly 3.5 meters tall by 7.75 meters wide. The tapestry hangs outside the entrance to the UN Security Council chambers. 

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