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The interior of the mosque-cathedral of Córdoba after a fire. Photo: Madero Cubero/EUROPA PRESS/dpa
Keystone
In the sensational fire in the world-famous mosque-cathedral of Córdoba, the horror was greater than the consequences. The damage caused was "very minor", said Joaquín Alberto Nieva, the dean of the Unesco World Heritage-listed church. Only 25 to 50 square meters of a total area of around 23,000 square meters were affected, he emphasized to journalists in the cathedral of the southern Spanish city. It will be possible to repair everything.
Video footage from the newspaper "El País" and others showed flames shooting out of the roof shortly after 9 p.m. on Friday evening. Onlookers photographed and filmed with their cell phones. It looked very bad at first. But the fire was quickly brought under control. The cathedral was reopened to the public at the usual times on Saturday. However, the area affected by the fire - a smaller chapel in the Almanzor nave - remained closed off on Sunday.
"It is absolutely safe to visit and attend services," Nieva assured the public. The cathedral was visited by more than two million people last year. This makes it one of the most important tourist attractions in Spain. Number one: the Sagrada Família basilica in Barcelona with a good 4.8 million visitors.
Was a short circuit in a sweeper to blame?
According to the authorities, the fire was brought under control so quickly on Friday evening because there was a fire protection plan for the mosque-cathedral. Several fire engines were therefore on site in a very short time. The fire protection plan had been revised in light of the devastating fire at Notre-Dame in Paris in 2019.
In recent years, there have also been regular fire drills in the building, which dates back to the year 800. According to initial findings, the fire was caused by a short circuit in a sweeper that was parked inside the building. Investigations began immediately to determine the exact cause of the fire. Results may be expected in the coming days.
Masterpiece of Islamic architecture in Spain
The Cathedral of Córdoba is one of the most important buildings in Spain. Originally built in the 8th century as the main mosque of the Emirate of Córdoba, it was a masterpiece of Islamic architecture in Al-Andalus. It is famous for its endless rows of red and white horseshoe arches supported by over 850 columns.
After the Christian reconquest in 1236, it was converted into a Catholic cathedral. In the 16th century, a Renaissance nave was built in the middle of the Islamic prayer room. The result was a unique synthesis of Moorish and Christian architectural styles.
10.08.2025, 14:07
