MADRID, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba, southern Spain, reopened to visitors on Saturday following a fire that broke out late Friday night.
The historic monument, one of Spain’s most celebrated landmarks, sustained limited damage in the blaze. About 25 to 50 square meters of roof collapsed from a total surface area of 13,000 square meters, reported El Correo de Andalucia, quoting the dean of the Cathedral.
The affected vaults had been recently restored and are not among the building’s oldest parts. The fire also damaged some sculptural, pictorial, and altarpiece works, but the overall impact was “very localized,” according to the dean.
The blaze began around 21:15 local time on Friday, reportedly sparked by an automatic sweeping machine. Flames quickly spread to the roof, prompting fears of a catastrophe reminiscent of the 2019 Notre Dame fire in Paris.
A team of 35 firefighters brought the fire under control before it could spread further. Local fire chief Daniel Munoz said several beams collapsed under the combined impact of the flames and the weight of the water used to extinguish them, the newspaper reported.
No casualties or trapped individuals were reported, according to Spanish broadcaster Cadena SER.
The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, built between the 8th and 10th centuries, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. It drew around two million visitors in 2024.
