Fire Quickly Contained at Cordoba’s Historic Mosque-Cathedral
The fire broke out late on Friday in one of the chapels located in the Almanzor naves of the monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Spain’s most visited landmarks.
The building, originally a mosque between the 8th and 10th centuries, is celebrated as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Following the Christian reconquest in the 13th century, it was converted into a cathedral and underwent extensive modifications over the centuries.
Cordoba Mayor José María Bellido described the firefighting operation as a “rapid and magnificent intervention” that “averted a catastrophe,” in remarks posted on X.
He confirmed the fire had been extinguished but said emergency crews would remain on site overnight as a precaution.
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Local media, citing preliminary reports, said the blaze may have been triggered by a short circuit in an electric sweeper.
Three firefighting units brought the flames under control within a short time and then cooled the structure’s walls and roof to prevent reignition.
Images shared widely online showed smoke and flames rising from inside the historic building, recalling the 2019 fire at Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, which reopened in late 2024 after extensive restoration.
Source: Agencies
